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

Paddington 1894

Report on vital statistics and sanitary work for the year 1894

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Table: TABLE 24.

TABLE 24.

Year.Day of Month.Temp. of Thames CoHours of Sunshine at Staines during 3 days. Hrs. Mts.Flow of River at Teddington Weir, 1,000,000 galls, per 24 hours.No. of Microorganisms per c.c.
1892.May 2014.813 10480.0631
June 2016.223 30335.01,658
July 1317.211 10385.22,268
Aug. 2519.19 55276.32,421
Sep. 1216.63 15270-0947
Oct. 1710.59 15501.32,316
Nov. 226.7... ...1,845.01,868
Dec. 155.65 202,105.011,158
1893.Jan. 90-0... ...915.08,210
Feb. 47.6l 203,255.013,947
Mar. 20.7.221 301,175.03,737
Apr. 511.624 30985.01,763
May 1617.614 30428.02 052
June 2020.427 25277.22,789
July 1918.215 55330.02,l32
Aug. 1021.329 55264.61,895
Sep. 2513.814 5159.31,158
Oct. 1912.511 5542.713,790
Nov. 95.67 45249.31,789
Dec. 75.45 45375.06,316
1894.Jan. 155.22 451,510.056,630
Feb. 136.97 01,140.06,947
Mar. 138.013 401,600.09,480
Apr. 1314.016 20690.02,520
May 312.57 30740.72,880
June 1114.16 35745.21,840
July 1616.78 45369.92,860
Aug. 1118.713 55360.92,080
Sep. 713.811 50336.63,080
Oct. 1012.2... ...396.03,800
Nov. 512.39 504,462.220,080
Dec. 105.52 152,058.316,300

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Note.—The hours of sunshine were recorded at Staines, and the duration
given in each instance represents the total amount recorded on the day of taking
the sample and during the two days immediately preceding.
From an examination of the figures contained in
the above Table, after they had been set out as
curves, Professor Frankland concludes that "the
number of microbes in Thames water is determined
mainly by the rate of flow of the river, or, in other
words, by the rainfall, and but slightly, if at all, by