I think the dams in Norman Road were bad - this is part of the River Tame. My son fell into it while climbing trees. Came home covered in green slime and smelling to high heaven. Luckily it was a hot summer, so I just got the hosepipe on him in the back garden. I really was a very caring mom
My sister had polio when she was about 3 - the doc thought it might have been from the outside drains. Luckily not bad enough to spend time in an iron lung, but she was in Hayley Green Hospital for months.