London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1876
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
This page requires JavaScript
74
the gross income of the water companies in 1874 was equal to
11½d. in the pound, these sums together would make a charge of
14d. in the pound, or a saving of 2½d. in the pound, close on
£225,000, as against 16|d. the cost of purchasing the property of the
water companies, without improvement in the quality of the drinking
water; but with better provision than at present for the
extinction of fire.
GAS.
The subjoined tables are taken from the quarterly reports of
the chief gas examiner, and show the results of testings conducted
at the station in the Ladbroke Grove, Not-tina- Hill.
1. Maximum, minimum, and average lighting power of the gas in standard sperm candles :—
| Maximum. | Minimum | Average. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter ended Mar. 31st, 1876 | 17.6 | 16.0 | 16.8 |
| Quarter ended June 30th, 1876 | 17.7 | 16.1 | 16.7 |
| Quarter ended Sept. 30th, 1876 | 17.8 | 16.1 | 16.7 |
| Quarter ended Dec. 31st, 1876 | 18.4 | 15.5 | 16.9 |
| Averages, whole year | 17.9 | 15.9 | 16.8 |
The gas which was tested on nearly every week day throughout
the year fell short of the standard (16 candles) on two
occasions only, viz., October 12th (15.6), and October 13th (15.5
candles).
2. Grains of sulphur in 100 cubic feet of gas:—
| Maximum. | Minimum. | Average. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | 17.7 | 10.0 | 13.9 |
| 2nd „ | 18.8 | 10.3 | 14.30 |
| 3rd „ | 17.9 | 7.1 | 13.60 |
| 4th „ | 16.5 | 11.6 | 15.4 |
| Averages, whole year | 17.5 | 9.7 | 14.3 |
The maximum impurity allowed, viz., 25 grains of sulphur in
100 cubic feet of gas, during the winter months, and 20 grains
in the summer months was not attained on any occasion. Nor
was sulphuretted hydrogen (which is absolutely prohibited)
detected at any time. The maximum amount of ammonia impurity
which is permitted is grains in 100 cubic feet of gas.
Great care, however, is taken to extract the whole of this valuable
product, and on no occasion was there so much as one grain per
100 cubic feet of gas : usually there was none.
The average meter system has now been applied to the public
lighting—with what results yet remains to be seen. The
parishioners will in any case, however, have the satisfaction of