The air must have been awful.

"Auld Reekie" was the name of Edinburgh in the times when it seemed natural to heat with coal. Life in this town was possible due to the strong wind that blows most of the time.
The chimney sweep working next door took this name as his corporate identity.
The beautifully shaped chimneys near the Royal Mile cannot have improved the situation too much.
Today, the place can be recommended as a health resort.