Water commissioners at Royal Cottage, Loch Katrine. Annual inspection of works in 1886.
National and local governments played a major role in containing epidemics.
An insufficient supply of clean water was a major cause of cholera and other contagious diseases. Health officials improved public health by providing clean water through the building of huge reservoirs.
In 1855, work began to enable the use of Loch Katrine as a reservoir and to bring clean water to Glasgow. The reservoir was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859.
This item was on show in 'Plague!', our exhibition on Scotland's history of disease, which ran at the National Library from 11 December 2015 to 29 May 2016.