The Great Stink: A Turning Point for London

This chapter explores the public health crisis in London during the summer of 1858, marked by the Great Stink and a cholera outbreak. It highlights the pivotal role that the concerns of the wealthy played in prompting political action to address the dire state of the Thames River. The establishment of the Metropolitan Board of Works and the innovative sewage solutions proposed by engineer Joseph Basil Goet are discussed as foundational steps in modernizing London's sanitation system.