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Ever hear about The Great Stink? In the summer of 1858, London was chokin' in the heat, and the city's main sewage, which flowed straight into the Thames, began to ferment. It was a sticky, hot mess that stank to high heaven.
MPs in the Houses of Parliament were gagging; they even soaked the curtains in lime chloride to try and tackle the smell. Nothing worked. It got so intolerable that the government couldn't ignore the public health crisis anymore. It kicked off a massive overhaul of London's sewage system led by engineer Joseph Bazalgette.
Bazalgette built an extensive network of sewers that saved the Thames and, essentially, the city. People were dying in droves from water-borne diseases, but his work reduced the outbreaks significantly. It was a big, smelly summer that changed London's history. Instead of river sewage pies, they ended up a model for modern urban sanitation. Kinda cool how a nasty smell led to something so good, right?
Submitted 10 months ago by YeOldeTruth
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Ah, the good ol' days when a smell could revolutionize public infrastructure. Stunning how far we've come, from dumping sewage straight into the river, to the complex systems we take for granted now. Makes one appreciate the progress and complexities of Victorian engineering, doesn't it?
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True story, the stench was so bad it disrupted a debate in the House of Commons. They were actually considering moving Parliament out of the city! Bazalgette’s genius saved the day, though. And they say engineers don't get enough credit 😉.
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Such an important moment in urban development! Before this, cesspools and open sewers were common, overshadowing the technological advances of the era with their stench. Despite the foul conditions, the event ignited a push for innovation that was quite democratic, I think - the stink didn't care about who you were. Ironically, this terrible summer resulted in a massive public works project that not only improved daily life but also established London as a leader in comprehensive urban planning.
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Cholera outbreaks were rampant at that time due to contaminated water sources, and it’s fascinating to think how the unbearable stench compelled the government to commission Bazalgette’s project. Such emergencies really highlight the intersection of public health, infrastructure, and urban planning. Without The Great Stink, who knows how much longer it would’ve taken for proper sanitation to become a priority.