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
Coulsdon and Purley 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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Altogether II samples of water were taken for bacteriological
examination and eight for chemical examination during 1945, including
one special sample owing to a complaint. Two unsatisfactory bacteriological
reports were received but these were due to a defect in the fitting
from which the samples were taken, as later samples taken from the
same and adjoining premises were satisfactory. There was no other
sign of contamination. No samples of raw water were taken during
the year.
The statutory maximum limit for hardness in the water supplied
by the Sutton District Water Company is 9 degrees, while the East Surrey
supply has also to be softened. Thirty samples were examined by the
Department during 1945 to ascertain the hardness and in all cases this
was found to be satisfactory, as has been the position generally during
the war.
The rainfall during the war years is given below and there was no
shortage of water supply, except early in 1944, when it was found
necessary to issue warnings of water shortage to consumers. The watering
of gardens was checked but it was not found necessary to impose
further restrictions.
RAINFALL.
The rainfall in 1945 registered by the rain gauge at the Refuse
52
The following are typical results of chemical and bacteriological examinations made in 1945, from which the remainder varied but little:—
Chemical Analysis.
| Sutton and District Water Company. | East Surrey Water Company. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parts per 100,000. | Grains per gallon. | Parts per 100,000. | Grains per gallon. | |
| Total solids (dried at 180°C.) | 16.0 | 11.2 | 15.0 | 10.5 |
| Combined chlorine (C1) | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Equivalent to sodium chloride (NaC1) | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 1.7 |
| Nitric nitrogen (nitrates) | 0.56 | 0.39 | 0.58 | 0.41 |
| Nitrous nitrogen (nitrites) | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Ammoniacal nitrogen | 0.0060 | 0.0042 | 0.0044 | 0.0031 |
| Albuminoid nitrogen | 0.0005 | 0.0004 | 0.0002 | 0.0001 |
| Oxygen absorbed in 4 hours at 27°C. | 0.005 | 0.004 | 0.002 | 0.001 |
| Lead or copper | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Temporary hardness (equivalent to CaCO3) | 11.0 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 5.6 |
| Permanent hardness do. | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
| Total hardness do. | 12.0 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 6.3 |
Bacteriological Examination.
| Plate count. Yeastrel agar 3 days 22°C. aerobically | 0 per cc. | 0 per cc. |
| do. do. 2 days 37°C. aerobically | 3 per cc. | 4 per cc. |
| Probable number of coliform bacilli MacConkey 3 days 37°C. | 0 per 100 cc. | 0 per 100 cc. |