How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem
November 1, 2021
"In the summer of 1858, London's River Thames STANK." Why? "The river was full of poop." Increased population in the early 1800s had led to an excess of human waste being disposed of in the city's sewers, which were meant only to carry rainwater to the river. After three cholera outbreaks mistakenly linked to bad smells, and then a heat wave that caused the river to emit a "Great Stink" throughout London, the city's chief sewer engineer, Joseph Bazalgette, devised and built a system using "gigantic sewer pipes along both sides of the Thames" to carry the waste far from the city before being pumped back into the river. A fourth, contained cholera outbreak proved what really caused the epidemics (bad drinking water), and Bazalgette was later knighted for saving lives. Paeff clearly explains the causes and effects of "poop pollution," citing how human error exacerbated the stinky problem for a long time -- even noting Bazalgette's own shortcomings. She also describes how his sewers worked and cites figures -- such as "there's enough poop flowing into the Thames to fill one hundred thirty-six Olympic-size swimming pools" -- to help young readers understand the scope of the situation. Carpenter's playful, detailed watercolor-and-ink illustrations skillfully depict the situations above- and belowground as people hold their noses at the bad smell, fully dressed skeletons (representing dead people) walk the streets during the outbreaks, and Bazalgette energetically explores sewer pipes. An afterword about "Poop Pollution Today" worldwide, a timeline, an author's note, further reading, and a bibliography are appended. Cynthia K. Ritter
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from June 15, 2021
Unearth the smelly, complicated history of London's sewage system! This informative exploration of London's sanitation history will delight nonfiction fans interested in history, ecology, biography, and more. A brief account of London's waste-removal system from the 1500s to the 1800s provides context before the book introduces Joseph Bazalgette, the future father of sanitation. Bazalgette's journey is woven into the multiple cholera epidemics, the incorrect medical information, and the political challenges that defined the age. Backmatter further explains the connection between the London sewage system of the 1800s and the modern world. A bulleted list of information provides additional information about modern systems and suggestions for ways families can reduce water pollution. Keen educators and caregivers will find this a useful tool in lessons about ecology. The watercolor-and-ink illustrations make the most of the text, creating sweeping double-page spreads that depict the teeming city and the grandeur of Bazalgette's work. The addition of skeletons intermingling with the living population drives home the losses of the epidemics--a message that won't be lost on modern readers--and the inclusion of a range of skin tones will quietly remind readers that London has been a diverse city for centuries. Bazalgette himself presents White. Far from stinky. (timeline, author's note, further reading, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 7-12)
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July 1, 2021
"In the summer of 1858, London's River Thames STANK." Why? "The river was full of poop." Increased population in the early 1800s had led to an excess of human waste being disposed of in the city's sewers, which were meant only to carry rainwater to the river. After three cholera outbreaks mistakenly linked to bad smells, and then a heat wave that caused the river to emit a "Great Stink" throughout London, the city's chief sewer engineer, Joseph Bazalgette, devised and built a system using "gigantic sewer pipes along both sides of the Thames" to carry the waste far from the city before being pumped back into the river. A fourth, contained cholera outbreak proved what really caused the epidemics (bad drinking water), and Bazalgette was later knighted for saving lives. Paeff clearly explains the causes and effects of "poop pollution," citing how human error exacerbated the stinky problem for a long time -- even noting Bazalgette's own shortcomings. She also describes how his sewers worked and cites figures -- such as "there's enough poop flowing into the Thames to fill one hundred thirty-six Olympic-size swimming pools" -- to help young readers understand the scope of the situation. Carpenter's playful, detailed watercolor-and-ink illustrations skillfully depict the situations above- and belowground as people hold their noses at the bad smell, fully dressed skeletons (representing dead people) walk the streets during the outbreaks, and Bazalgette energetically explores sewer pipes. An afterword about "Poop Pollution Today" worldwide, a timeline, an author's note, further reading, and a bibliography are appended.
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)