The British English Podcast
S4/E5- The Great Stink: A Smelly Chapter in London's History
Dec 11, 2023
The hosts discuss the Great Stink crisis in 1858, focusing on London's sanitation. They talk about Sir Joseph Bazalgette's sewage system, how bad smells were thought to cause diseases, and the impact of the event on urban planning. They also compare the reactions to Covid-19 in Italy and England.
28:47
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Quick takeaways
- The Great Stink in London in 1858 highlighted the city's deplorable sanitation conditions and prompted the urgent need for change.
- Sir Joseph Bazalgette's innovative sewer system, completed in 1875, solved the immediate crisis of the Great Stink and showcased human resilience and foresight.
Deep dives
The Great Stink: A Turning Point for Urban Planning and Public Health
The summer of 1858 marked a crisis in London known as the Great Stink. The intense aroma emanating from the polluted Thames river became a catalyst for change in urban planning and public health. The stench disrupted the British Parliament and highlighted the deplorable sanitation conditions in the city. The prevailing miasma theory, which attributed diseases like cholera to bad air, added to the fear. Newspapers and renowned figures like Charles Dickens amplified the public outcry, emphasizing the urgent need for change.
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