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126
Companies during the year; the Kent Company's water being taken as a standard
for comparison. The numbers in this table relate to 100,000 parts of the waters:—

Having thus summarised Dr. Franklsnd's views—reproducing
in the consumers' interests, as in duty bound, the strictures on
river water of what may be considered the official report, it is only
fair to state that river water is not without its defenders and
advocates. Among these, Dr. Meymott Tidy stands conspicuous,
and he has summed up all, perhaps, that can be said in its favour
in a paper read before the Chemical Society in May, 1880, and
printed in the Society's transactions. He contends that dangerous
organic matter is rapidly destroyed through the operation of natural
laws when introduced into running streams, and gives numerous
experiments to prove his point. "Reviewing all the facts," he
submits—
"1. That when sewage is discharged into running water, provided
the primary dilution of the sewage with pure water is
sufficient, after the run of a few miles, the precise distance of
travel being dependent on several conditions, the removal of the
whole of the organic impurity will be effected.
2. That whatever may be the actual cause of certain diseases,
i.e., whether germs or chemical poisons, the materies morbi which
finds its way into the river at the sewage outfall, is destroyed
together with the organic impurity after a certain flow."
Colonel Bolton's Reports.—I now turn to Colonel Bolton's
reports, which from time to time supply a variety of interesting