London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
St Pancras 1897
Annual report from the chairman of the health committee on the business of the department
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WATER SUPPLY AND WATER SERVICE.
Analysis of Waters supplied to St. Pancras, averages for 1897:—
(Results of Analysis expressed in parts per 100,000.)
| Water. | Temperature in Centigrade Degrees. | Tota1 Solid Matter. | Organic Carbon. | Organic Nitrogen. | Ammonia. | Nitrogen as Nitrates and Nitrites. | Total Combined Nitrogen. | Chlorine. | Total hardness. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thames at Hampton (Unfiltered Water) | 10.4 | 29.81 | .274 | .043 | .009 | .223 | .273 | 1.8 | 20.1 |
| West Middlesex Water Works Company | 9.8 | 27.50 | .159 | .019 | 0 | .223 | .241 | 1.8 | 19.5 |
| Lea, New River Cut, Green Lanes (Unfiltered Water). | 10.6 | 31.84 | .146 | .027 | .006 | .283 | .296 | 1.8 | 22.1 |
| New River Company | 10.8 | 30.43 | .085 | .013 | 0 | 237 | .219 | 1.8 | 21.0 |
Note.—The numbers in this table can be converted into grains per imperial gallon
by multiplying them by 7, and then moving the decimal point one place
to the left.
Comparison of number of Microbes with Volume of the Thames just above the intakes of the Water Companies during 1897:—
| Date. | Flow of River in Gallons daily. | No. of Microbes per cubic centimetre. |
|---|---|---|
| January 5th | 2,370,700,000 | 12,200 |
| February 8th | 6,060,500,000 | 39,960 |
| March 10th | 3,196,600,000 | 50,560 |
| April 5th | 2,057,900,000 | 11,560 |
| May 5th | 1,223,200,000 | 8,840 |
| June 1st | 1,015,700,000 | 10,300 |
| July 5th | 714,800,000 | 3,020 |
| August 10th | 509,600,000 | 2,460 |
| September 7th | 653,700,000 | 3,620 |
| October 26th | 632,800,000 | 16,700 |
| November 24th | 550,100,000 | 5,940 |
| December 13th | 1,429,000,000 | 18,000 |
West Middlesex Company, 1897.
Amount of Storage 19.4 days.
Average thickness of Sand on filters 2.75 feet.
Average rate of Alteration per square foot per
hour 1.33 gallons.
Maximum percentage of Microbes removed 99.89
Minimum „ ,, ,, 97.52
Average „ „ „ 99.40