Genre:

Proceedings, Spoof

Subjects:

Pollution, Sanitation, Public Health, Disease, Analytical Chemistry, Light, Commerce, Nutrition, Agriculture

    Summarises the views of several fictional investigators hired to 'inquire into the unpleasant state of the river Thames'. The investigators include chemists, gas engineers, and medical practitioners, who all offer their analyses of the toxic gases and offer ways of utilising the sewer gases. For example, Mr Meter of 'the Economical Gas Company' contemplates using sewer-gases as artificial lighting, Professor Blowpipe, 'Professor of Chemistry in the University of Smithfield' challenges this view with a chemical explanation, Mr Wiseacre doubts the possibility of using the gases to make soda water, Sir Simon Sage challenges the possibility of using them as fertilisers, 'Peter Black, M.D., F.R.S.', judges workers employed on the Thames to be 'more healthy than ordinary labourers', and Mr Sump and Mr Pump disagree over the effectiveness of deodorisation.