BrainStuff

How Did the Great Stink of London Work?

September 28, 2026·12 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

In London in the summer of 1858, a Great Stink settled over the city. The sewage from its growing population was baking in the streets -- and infiltrating the city's water supply. Learn how this smelly situation led to some incredible sewer engineering still in use today (plus a change in the understanding of how infection works) in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/ridiculous-history-the-great-stink-london.htmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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