Cholera is thought to have come from the Ganges Delta in India as far back as the 1500s. Historians have writings that detail cholera-like symptoms, but none that "give it away". So, scientists and hisorians defaulted on the more recent writings and accounts. There have been 7 outbreaks of cholera, with the third being the most deadly. It spread from India to large portions of the world, including Russia, Asia, North America and Asia. Cholera was able to spread so easily into Europe and other first-world countries due to commerce and industrialization occurring at a fast rate. There was a massive outbreak, which originated on Broad Street in the Soho district of London, England. The outbreak killed over 600 people, which lead Dr. John Snow to do some research on what could cause cholera. After careful research, he was able to pinpoint that cholera was caused by contaminated water supplies coming from the Thames River running through London. After pestering the officials, they removed the handle on the water pump that was contaminated, and the case number dropped drastically.
Some symptoms of cholera include: watery diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, rapid heart rate, and low blood pressure. Without treatment, cholera can kill in as little time as 8 hours. The body becomes dehydrated, which leads to further damages, including shock, coma, and death. Cholera mainly affects developing countries, as they do not have the necessary infrastructure to treat the water to eliminate the cholera-causing bacteria. In some areas, treatment is simply not possible, and the mortality rate can get upwards of 50 percent.