Causes of the Great Stink
What year did the Great Stink occur?
1858
What disease repeatedly struck London in the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s?
Cholera
What government body finally approved funding for a new sewer system?
Parliament
What type of infrastructure was built to solve the crisis?
A new sewer system
What happened to public health after the new sewer system was built?
It improved
What river produced the overwhelming stench?
The River Thames
What river did many Londoners use for drinking and washing?
The River Thames
Approximately how much money did Parliament approve for the sewer project?
£3 million
When did construction of the sewer system begin?
Shortly after the Great Stink in the late 1850s
What type of diseases were reduced by cleaner water?
Waterborne diseases
What weather event made the smell much worse?
A record heatwave
Name one disease linked to contaminated Thames water.
Cholera, typhoid, or dysentery
What engineer designed London's new sewer system?
Joseph Bazalgette
What type of sewers did Bazalgette design?
Intercepting sewers
What later law reflected the growing focus on public health and sanitation?
The Public Health Act
What invention increased the amount of waste entering the sewer system?
Modern flush toilets
What did many people incorrectly believe spread disease during the Great Stink?
The foul smell (bad air)
What event forced Parliament to act after years of delay?
The Great Stink
What happened to waste after the new sewer system was built?
It was carried away from densely populated areas.
How did the Great Stink influence cities around the world?
It became a model for modern urban sanitation projects.
What two major factors caused sewage and pollution to overwhelm London's infrastructure?
Rapid population growth and industrialization
Why was the polluted Thames especially dangerous to public health?
People used it for drinking, washing, and cooking despite contamination.
What major idea did the Great Stink help establish about government responsibility?
Governments should protect public health through sanitation and infrastructure.
What surprising fact is true about Bazalgette's sewer system today?
Much of it is still in use over 150 years later.
What is the most important historical lesson of the Great Stink?
Rapid urban growth and industrialization require proper infrastructure and government action to protect public health.