As I continued reading  Ghost Map, I kept noticing how many people were still in disbelief at Snow’s theory. Especially at the beginning of chapter 9, leading officials were still not willing to believe Snow despite the mounting evidence supporting his theory. Whitehead also was at first not able to believe but once he studied the neighborhoods and the ways the Broad Street pump was effecting its drinkers, he slowly came to realize the this disease was waterborne.

“For several weeks, Whitehead was at an impasse. All the evidence he had complied pointed o the existence of an index case that he had so long resisted” (177).

Even with so much evidence, Whitehead was still stubborn and I believe this is because he was not able to tangibly see the disease working. He kept thinking that if there was a disease, it should come from water that is murky and not clear. Eventually Whitehead does become convinced, but now it was a challenge to convince the Board of Health Committee.

My question is, in today’s time, is there a process  in which a theory becomes fact? If so, what is the process and was there one in the time of Snow and the cholera outbreak?