Archaea and Bacteria

Abstract

One late night on August 28th of 1854, as most of the populace was asleep in London, England, a mother was forced to remain awake while caring for her abruptly sick - and ever crying - infant of six months old. Instead of seeking rest for herself during the short sprees of time that her child would fall asleep, she would gather up her babies watery and soiled linens in order to dispose of them in a cesspit located outside of her house. It was this crucial act that led to one of London's most prolific outbreaks of Cholera, a diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae. In a matter of 8 days, more than 600 lives were claimed as a result of the outbreak.