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"No. 6.—From Pump in Cuck's Buildings, Putney—Collected 8th October, 1854, by
Dr. Hassall and Mr. Whiteman.
"This water, during the prevalence of cholera in Putney, was of a decidcd green
colour, as was observed by the inhabitants of the many houses supplied by it; this
appearance had gone off somewhat at the period when the specimen was obtained, at
which time cholera was also on the decline, but still it was of a greenish hue, as was
clearly seen when the water was poured out into a glass tumbler; scarcely any sediment
was deposited, and there was discovered, in the little that was thrown down, four or five
oxytrichæ, one or two paramecia, masses and threads of the spiral vibrio, which exhibits
a dotted appearance at each turn of the spire, and rather many monads. This water,
from its appearance and from the account given of it, was evidently contaminated by percolation
from a neighbouring cesspool, and the principal part of the organic matter
present was in the fluid state, and in the form of nitrates. See Dr. Thomson's analysis."
"No. 7.—From Pump in Price's Folly, Putney.—Collected 8th October, 1854, by Dr.
Hassall and Mr. Whiteman.
This water resembled the preceding in colour and appearance, but was still deeper;
the source of contamination was also the same, namely, a neighbouring cesspool. Very
little sediment was deposited, enough only to be just visible to the naked eye, in a thin
glass cell; it contained a considerable number of actinophrydes, some of the spiral
vibriones before referred to, a few euglenæ, one or two small paramecia, a few small
sporulcs and threads of fungus, and eight or ten frustules of different diatomaceæ,
including navicula and gomphonema; lastly, there were a few green circular sporules
aggregated into little masses, and motionless. See Dr. Thomson's analysis."
"No. 8.—From Pump at 19, Stratford Grove, Putney.—Collected 8th October, 1854,
by Dr. Hassall and Mr. Whiteman.
"This water was coloured like the others, but the people of the house from which it
was procured fancied that it was contaminated by leakage from a gas-pipe, which, however
is some distance away from it, nevertheless there is much reason to believe that the
explanation given is correct, as there is no cesspool near, and as the water was always
good until the gas-pipe was laid down. The sediment deposited was scarcely perceptible,
and in it a few monads, vibriones, and sporules of fungus only were discovered."
A subsequent examination of the last-named water from Stratford Grove,
presented to my view under the microscope no trace of vibriones, but
rather many monads, and some few paramecia. Upon the whole this
water appeared to have undergone considerable improvement.
The specimens I obtained from Cock's Buildings and Price's Folly
exhibited none of the threads of the spiral vibrio referred to by Dr. Hassall,
but there were a great many infusoria, and much decaying animal and
vegetable tissue in both. The green tint was not so great in the former
water, and in the latter it was observable only to a very trifling extent.
I have lately examined some water obtained from another well in Cock's
Buildings, situated a short distance from that from which the former
specimen (No. 6), was pumped in 1854. When brought to me by the
inspector it was dull and opalescent, and of a decided yellowish green
tinge. The deposit after standing 24 hours was considerable, and upon
submitting some of this to the microscope, I discovered several paramecia,
a few euglenæ, and many monads. There were also seen a number of
fragments of decaying vegetable tissue, and of dead organic matter. This
water was evidently contaminated by percolation from a neighbouring
cesspool. The people living in the neighbourhood have assured me that
until a large cesspool was dug in the garden of the last house in Cock's
Buildings to receive the contents of all the closets in the row, the water of
this pump was very good, but that now they are obliged to give up