London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1890

Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1890

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26
insufficient and bad, and the same remark applies to the means
of ventilation. The necessary alterations were made in all the
premises we visited.
River Lee.—In consequence partly of the wet weather in March
and April and the unusual cold in April, the condition of the River
Lee was fairly good, until May, when it became more opaque and
had a slight urinous smell. In May the Tottenham effluent was
very offensive and opaque, and I reported to that effect to the
Sanitary Committee as well as to the Board. Subsequently, in my
report, dated October 14th, I stated "that the water of the Eiver
Lee had very much deteriorated since the effluent was poured into
it on October 1st, as it is now dark-coloured, opaque, has a strong
urinous smell, and contains a large excess of chlorine, of free and
saline ammonia, as well as of soluble organic matter, as compared
with September before the effluent was run in." The river continued
to be in a very unsatisfactory state during the greater part of
November so that an arrangement with the London County Council
to receive the Tottenham and Wood Green drainage permanently
will be most satisfactory, and enable the river to be again used all the
year round for the purposes of recreation.
Meteorology.—The weather, taking the year as a whole, has
been characterised by an unusual prevalence of cold after
January, less rain, with frequent but not heavy falls. In eight
months the temperature was below the mean, and in December
to the extent of 10 deg., whilst in four only it was above the mean.
In January on one day the temperature was more than 13 deg.
above the mean, and on several days more than 10 deg., so
that with one exception it was the warmest January since 1846.
The highest temperature recorded was 55.8 deg., the lowest 27'6
and the rainfall 2.22 inches, which fell on 27 days. February
was cold and generally dry, as rain fell on 8 days only. The
highest temperature was 49.8 deg., and the lowest 28.2 deg.;
the mean temperature for the month was 37.5 deg., or 1.9 deg.
below the average of 49 years. March was very cold at first,
but a high temperature, 68.8 deg., was reached on one day,
whilst it was as low as 19.4 deg. on another, affording the large
range of 49.4 deg. The mean temperature was 43.2 deg., or