> I take it that you are not aware of Dr. John Snow[1] who in the 1850s demonstrated that Cholera was a water born illness that came from drinking contaminated

> I take it that you are not aware of Dr. John Snow[1] who in the 1850s demonstrated that Cholera was a water born illness that came from drinking contaminated water. The fact that they did not understand germ theory does not mean that people in general did not have access to clean (enough) water, this is a non sequitur. Your point is not refuting the parent. There were in fact places without cholera epidemics, though cities were pretty dire overall.