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
Kensington 1877
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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66
was, like 1876, very favourable to the river waters; nevertheless "in
the months of January, April, and December, the Thames water
was delivered to consumers in such a polluted condition as to be
utterly unfit for dietetic purposes."And it appears that the improvement
exhibited in Thames water is to be attributed almost
wholly to the more careful treatment of the water by the Companies,
as evidenced by the fact that the proportion of organic
impurity in the Thames water which was inefficiently treated by
the Southwark Company was excessive. Of the waters supplied
from the Thames, that delivered by the West Middlesex Company
was the best.
The late Rivers' Commissioners in their Report on the Domestic
Water Supply of Great Britain (speaking with reference
to the proportions of organic elements) say, "We consider that
potable water which contains organic matter, even only partially
derived from animal sources, should not yield much more than 0.1
part of organic carbon in 100,000 parts of water," but the maximum
pollution in the Thames (January, 0.40 in 100,000 parts,
chiefly organic carbon) greatly exceeded this standard. The evidence
of previous sewage contamination continues without diminution,
and is of much significance, owing to the likelihood of
morbific matter derived from animal excreta being carried down
the stream, and distributed to the customers of the Companies.
The following table shows the maximum, minimum, and average proportions of organic elements (organic carbon and organic nitrogen), in each of the local Companies' waters during the year ; the amount found in the Kent Company's water being taken as unity.
| Source. | Company. | Maximum. | Minimum. | Average. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Wells | Kent | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
| West Middlesex | 6.0 | 1.2 | 3.4 | |
| River Thames | Chelsea | 7.0 | 1.9 | 3.9 |
| Grand Junction | 6.9 | 1.4 | 3.6 |
The average hardness of the Thames water, (or the weight of
carbonate of lime, or its equivalent of other soap destroying substances
found in 100,000 parts of the water) was 19°.5 or parts in
1877 (19°.8 in 1876). The average hardness of the Kent Company's
water (derived from the chalk) was 27°.5 or parts, and the
Colne Valley Company's water only 5°.1 or parts; the water of
the last named Company being softened by Clark's process before
delivery, and thus rendered suitable for washing, whilst its
excellence for dietetic purposes is not thereby impaired.
The following table exhibits the results of observation as to the
degree of efficiency of filtration of Thames waters distributed by the
local Companies (monthly examination):—