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the operations of those Companies than was the case in the
previous year." It is shown by a diagram, " how great was the
chemical improvement effected " by the Companies drawing
water from the Thames, " even during the severe flood of
November," although "there was not sufficient storage to
circumvent this flood which markedly affected the chemical
quality of the filtered water both in November and December."
Referring to temperature, Dr. Frankland compares river and
deep-well waters much to the advantage of the latter; for
whilst the Thames water ranged in temperature to the extent
of 33° Fahr., between the minimum (34°.0 Fahr.) in January,
and the maximum (67°.0 Fahr.) in July and August, the deepwell
water of the Kent Company practically maintained a
constant temperature throughout the year, the range not
exceeding 6°.0 Fahr., viz., from 49°.8 in February to 55°.8 in
July and August. " This uniformity in temperature of deepwell
water causes it to be cool and refreshing in summer,
and less likely to become frozen in the service-pipes in winter ;
whilst river-water at 63°.9 Fahr. is unpleasantly vapid, and at
34°.0 Fahr. is not far removed from the freezing point." The
" solid matter " found in the waters is " almost wholly composed
of mineral substances, mainly of salts of lime and magnesia,"
which, in the existing proportions, "in no way diminish the
fitness of the water for dietetic purposes." But they " are
objectionable ; not only because they impart to the water what
is known as ' hardness,' and thus render it unsuitable for
washing, but also because they produce incrustations and
deposits in steam and kitchen boilers and hot-water pipes."
By treating the water with lime before delivery, the solid
matter, and the consequent hardness, could be reduced to a
great extent, as is done by the Colne Valley Company, the
water of this Company, as delivered last year, having
only 7°3 of hardness compared with 19°'4 in Thamesderived
waters." The " proportion of organic material"
in the solid matter is "of more importance, because,
if present in too large quantity, it interferes with the palata-