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
City of London 1861
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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No. IX.—Mean Composition of Thames Water at High Tide at London Bridge during each
| Properties of the water and constituents per Impl. Gallon(Grains.) | 1st Quarter. January to April. | 2nd Quarter. April to July. | 3rd Quarter. July to October. | 4th Quarter. October to December. | Whole Year. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861. | 1862. | 1861. | 1862. | 1861. | 1862. | 1861. | 1862. | 1861. | 1862. | |
| Appearance on standing | Clear. | • Clear. | Clear. | Clear. | Turbid. | Turbid. | Clear. | Clear. | Clear. | Clear. |
| Odour of the Water | None. | None. | None. | None. | Faint. | Faint. | Faint. | None. | None. | None. |
| Colour of the Deposit | Brown. | Brown. | Brown. | Brown. | Blackish. | Blackish. | Blackish. | Brown. | Brown. | Brown. |
| Dissolved Constituents | 257 | 26.8 | 33.8 | 24.2 | 141.5 | 114.2 | 111.6 | 67.4 | 78.1 | 60.8 |
| Organic | 3. 4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Mineral | 22.3 | 22.7 | 30. 1 | 21.5 | 133.1 | 104.7 | 100.0 | 59.1 | 71.4 | 54.1 |
| Suspended Matter | 6.4 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 9.5 | 2.6 | 8.4 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 4.4 |
| Organic | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0 .6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1. 0 |
| Mineral | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 7.7 | 2. 0 | 6.8 | 5. 3 | 5.8 | 3.4 |
| Total per gallon (grains) | 32.1 | 31.9 | 38.6 | 27.7 | 151.0 | 116.8 | 120.0 | 74.1 | 85.4 | 65.2 |
| Ammonia per gallon (grains) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Combined Sulphuric Acid (grains) | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2 0.6 | 20.1 | 8.6 | 80 .6 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Alkaline Chlorides (grains) | 3.3 | 4.9 | 11.2 | 3.4 | 105.2 | 790..1 | 79.8 | 40.3 | 49.8 | 34.8 |
| Mean Temperature of the River | 40.4 | 42.1 | 53.1 | 56.3 | 63.8 | 60.9 | 48.5 | 47.8 | 51.5 | 52.0 |
| Highest Temperature | 47.0 | 51.6 | 67.0 | 63 6 | 675 | 671 | 60.5 | 60.6 | 67. 5 | 67.1 |
| Total Rain-fall (inches) | 4.4 | 5.8 | 4.5 | 76 | 4.3 | 6.4 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 20.4 | 26.5 |
| Number of Wet Days | 40.0 | 43.0 | 29.0 | 46.0 | 44.0 | 36.0 | 34.0 | 39.0 | 147.0 | 164.0 |