article_snippet: While this mixture can, at times, be overpowering, back in the 19th century, smells in New York were far more pungent and permanent than this mixture can, at times, be overpowering, back in the 19th century, smells in the city are today.
article_snippet: So much so, that the health authorities at the time decided to create maps of stenches to show the location of smells from areas such as oil refineries, fat renderers, slaughter houses and gas works.
article_snippet: In the 19th century, it was believed that these foul odors carried diseases, so the New York City Metropolitan Board of Health created the map to highlight the areas affected. '
article_snippet: Trying to show smells, which are not concrete - they're invisible, they're ephemeral, they're always changing - is just a really fascinating cultural project,' says Melanie Kiechle, a historian at Virginia Tech University told Atlantic's CityLab.
article_snippet: Inhaling the delicate bouquet of a glass of wine can leave most of us at a loss for words to describe what us are smelling.
article_snippet: Tanvi Misra notes how health officials at the time had to sniff the air to document where the smells were coming from and which way they were blowing.
article_snippet: The map largely highlighted industrial smells and a New York Times reporter at the time described they job with heavy sarcasm, according to a report by Ms Kiechle. '
article_snippet: The homes of these [sickening stenches] are along the shores of the East River, and by dodging in and out of slips with a tug-boat, and by creeping and climbing over oil-lighters and rotten string-pieces, they were finally reached by the committeemen without loss of life or limb,' the committeemen said.
article_snippet: While the idea that smells carry disease has long passed, authorities are still keen to map areas of the city that contribute to illness.
article_snippet: Tanvi Misra notes how health officials at the time had to sniff the air to document where the smells were coming from and which way they were blowing .
highlights_snippet: In the 19th century, it was believed foul odours from industries such as slaughter houses could carry disease .
  