ABSTRACT
As soon as Robert Angus Smith arrived in Manchester in 1843 he came face to face with the appalling environmental conditions that existed there, not just the darkened skies from black smoke but also the insanitary conditions in which people were forced to live. Such experiences greatly influenced the direction of his future scientific work as he became absorbed in the factors affecting the quality of the air and in the possibility of using disinfectants to improve the insanitary conditions and control contagious diseases. Alongside his work as Inspector with the Alkali Inspectorate, the government body charged with enforcing the terms of the Alkali Act 1863, these investigations and his many associated publications were to define Angus Smith’s contributions to scientific advancement and their application to public health. His membership of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society (MLPS) and his work for the Manchester and Salford Sanitary Association (MSSA) brought him into contact with many other similar-minded people with a desire to improve living conditions in Manchester.
