TIL an 1858 heatwave caused the River Thames to reek unbearably due to raw sewage dumping. The stench was so intense that Parliament ended sessions early, and curtains were soaked in chloride to mask the smell. This was the tipping point that finally pushed London to build a modern sewer system.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/apr/04/story-cities-14-london-great-…
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gioms1/til_an_1858_heatwave_caused_the_river_thames_to/