Every snowflake is unique, but at MSU they share a common admiration for 19th century London physician John Snow. Five professors, who refer to themselves as the "snowflakes," recently published, "Cholera, Chloroform, and the Science of Medicine: A Life of John Snow," a book that took six years to complete. Snow helped end the Cholera epidemic in London's Soho district, an infection of the small intestine that causes diarrhea and can cause death by dehydration.

The authors are Family Practice and Center for Ethics and Humanities in Life Sciences Professor Howard Brody, epidemiology Professor Nigel Paneth, Director of epidemiology Michael Rip, English Associate Professor Stephen Rachman, and Associate Professor of History Peter Vinten-Johansen.

"I heard about John Snow, it was rumored that he single-handedly stopped the spread of cholera," Brody said. "We came together (MSU professors), originally to write papers, but after publishing two, we realized we had enough for a book."