[Zhang Fei]

In the early years, disease from sewage and poor water was so terrible. There were cholera and typhoid epidemics.

Weren't boiling water, washing vegetables in boiled water or avoiding raw food (veggies or steak tartare) sufficient to deal with the problem?

[Sacajaweau]

http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2000_fall/1832_cholera_part1.html

[Sacajaweau]

The short answer...You think of these bugs as stagnant. They are not. They're airborne also.

How did you catch your last cold or bug?? From someone else.