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

London County Council 1899

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Table: D.—TABLE1,SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF LONDONCRUDE SEWAGE.The Samples were obtained from the Outfall Works at Barking (9 samples), and at Crossness(6 samples).

D.—TABLE1,SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF LONDON

CRUDE SEWAGE.

The Samples were obtained from the Outfall Works at Barking (9 samples), and at Crossness

(6 samples).

Experiment.Description of the samples of sewage.Total number of Bacteria in 1 c.c. of crude sewage.Number of spores of Bacteria in 1 c.c. of crude sewage.Number of Bacteria causing liquefaction of the gelatine in 1 c.c. of crude sewage.Remarks.
1.2.3.4.5.
1Crossness crude sewage. Feb. 23, 1898.3,810,000(aver-age of two expts. with 0.0000l and 0.00005 c.c. crude sewage).See remarks column 5.The liquefying colonies were very numerous.Sporea of B. Enteritidis Sporogenes (Klein) present in O'l c.c. crude sewage. Dr. Klein inoculated a guinea pig with 1 c.c. of the whey from an anaerobic milk-culture which showed the typical enteritidis changes, and which had been previously inoculated with O'l c.c. sewage, and then incubated at 36° C. for 24 hours. The guinea pig died in less than 24 hours; the post-mortem appearances were characteristic of enteritidis. No spores of bacteria in 0.000l c.c. crude sewage. Bacillus Coli Communis present in in 0 000025 c.c. crude sewage. Very many of the colonies were protean in character. No colonies of B. Fluorescens lique-faciens or B. Fluorescens non-lique-faciens visible on the third day at 22° C.
2Barking crude sewage. Feb. 23, 1898.1,660,000(average of two expts. with 0.000l and 0.00005 c.c. crude sewage).30,000 (one expt. with 0.000l c.c. sewage).The liquefying colonies were very numerous.Spores of B. Enteritidis Sporogenes present in O'l c.c. crude sewage. Inoculation into a guinea pig produced results similar to those stated in experiment 1, column 5. B. Enteritidis not present in anaerobic milk-cultures containing 0.000l, 0.0005, and 0.001 c.c. crude sewage. B. Coli Communis present in 0.000025 c.c. crude sewage. No colonies of B. Fluorescens non-liquefaciens visible on the third day. The B. Fluorescens-liquefaciens was, however, present. Protean forms numerous.
3Crossness crude sewage. Mar. 2, 1898.3,190,000(average of two expts. with 0.0001 and O'OOOOl c.c. crude sewage).2,800 (one expt. with 0'01 c.c. sewage).The liquefying colonies were very numerous.Spores of B. Enteritidis Sporogenes present in 0.01 c.c. sewage. Numerous colonies of B. Coli Communis in 0.0l c.c. sewage. No colonies of B. Fluorescens non-liquefaciens visible on the third day. B. Fluorescens liquefaciens, 10,000 in 1 c.c. of sewage. Protean forms very numerous.
4Crossness crude sewage. Mar. 2, 1898. (The sample was collected on the same day as the above but at a different hour.)5,290,000(aver-age of two expts. with 0.0001 and O'OOOOl c.c. sewage).500 (one expt. with 0.01 c.c. sewage).The liquefying colonies were very numerous.Spores of B. Enteritidis Sporogenes present in O'Ol c.c. sewage. Numerous colonies of B. Coli Communis in O'Ol c.c. sewage. Many of the colonies were protean in character.
5Barking crude sewage. Apl. 4, 1898.l,760,000(aver-age of three expts. with O'OOOOl, 000005 and 0.0001 c.c. sewage).80 (average of two expts. with 0.01 and 0.1 c.c. sewage).The liquefying colonies were very numerous.The colonies were counted on the third and fourth days.