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14
of Hebrew Place, and Love Court, Petticoat Lane, complaining of the
impure state of the water, derived from a pump (their only source of supply)
I was induced to make an enquiry into the actual condition of the water
in this and some of the superficial wells in the district. The following table

It may be interesting to some persons, to compare with the above the
analysis of three specimens of sewage water, taken from different sewers. The
sewage water in Silver Street, Golden Square, when examined, writes
Dr. R. D. Thomson, who made the analysis, "was found to hold in suspension
much organic matter, and to leave a residue by evaporation of 88.68 degrees
or grains per gallon, of which 26.88 consisted of organic matter." The fluid
contents of the sewer in Peter Street, gave 48.98 grains of residue per gallon,
and 4.8 grains of organic matter; while the sewer in Husband Street was found
to yield 58.6 grains of residue, including 6.04 grains of organic matter.
The total impurity which was found in the New River, and East London
Water Companies, varies from about 17 to 23 grains per gallon, in which is a
quantity of organic matter, varying from 2½ to 4 grains. The analysis of these
waters, made in 1856, by Messrs. Hoffman and Blyth, show a diminution
in the amount of organic matter.
Although London is not at present supplied with water of a better quality
than is distributed by the above named companies, I apprehend that few
easy circumstances, whilst the population east and west of this terrace was not attacked.
The water-pipes served the houses from 1 to 17 inclusive, and these were the exact limits of
the ravages of the disease."
Some extraordinary and interesting facts, bearing upon this subject, are related in the
Report of the Sanitary Inspector of the Golden Square District, by Dr. D. Frazer, Mr.
Thomas Hughes, and Mr. J. M. Ludlow, showing the influence of the water from a
pump, in Broad Street, in producing cholera. Lastly, in Mr. Simon's Report on the last
two Cholera Epidemics of London, as affected by the consumption of impure water. (1855),
it is stated, "In 24,854 houses, supplied by the Lambeth Company, comprising a population
of about 166,906 persons, there occurred 611 cholera deaths, being at the rate of 37 to every
10,000 living. In the 39,726 houses, supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company,
comprising a population of about 268,171 persons, there occurred 3,476 deaths, being at the
rate of 130 to every 10,000 living. The former of these Companies supplied water of as good
a quality as any distributed in London, it being taken from a high part of the river, near
to Thames Ditton; while the latter supplied the population with water drawn from the river
in the neighbourhood of Chelsea." It is important to remark, that the inhabitants using
those waters derived from different sources, were, as regards wealth, comfort, occupation,
cleanliness, soil, &c., nearly identical, and that it appears that " the population drinking dirty
water. suffered 3½ times as much mortality as the population drinking other water"
*Nitric acid was present in all the specimens of water I examined, which shows
that organic matter (probably urine) found its way into them. The carbonic acid gas,
which gives a sparkling appearance to some of the superficial spring waters in London,
is owing to the carbon of the animal and vegetable matter becoming oxydised. Organic
matter is found in the soil, underneath the pavement, in quantities varying according to
the depth.