View report page

Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1859. 17
the off-scourings from our manufactories, the percolations from our cesspools, and the
filteriugs from our grave-yards.
Examples best illustrate a subject, therefore I will give you two, one on a small, and
the other on a large scale, of the evil effects from the drinking of impure water.
In August, 1859, Dr. Lewis presented a Special Report to the Postmaster General,
" to the effect that there was an unusual amount of diarrhoea prevailing amongst the
officers of the minor establishment," whilst allowing for the sudden variations of temperature
and other atmospheric conditions, he had come to the conclusion, " that a considerable
part was due to the quality of the water consumed at the office by the men." The water
drunk was obtained from a pump close by, " belonging to the Goldsmiths' Company." Its
water was held in great estimation far and near, as being " particularly pure, sweet, cool,
and pleasant." Dr. Lewis states that he " felt certain, however, that though it might be
cool and grateful to the palate, especially in hot weather, this might arise from other circumstances
than its purity. In all probability the cool and pleasant properties ascribed to
the water of the well in question, were due to the presence of carbonic acid gas, nitre, and
nitrates, resulting from the decomposition of the animal matters in solution and suspension
in the fluid." For this well was sunk in soil, which was, and had been for centuries, surrounded
with cesspools, with the contents of which it was assuredly contaminated. " It is well
known that the fluids from cesspools and drains percolate porous soils to a very considerable
distance." An analysis of this water was made, the result of which was, that " no more
water from the pump belonging to the Goldsmiths' Company was allowed to be brought into
the building for the consumption of the men. Almost simultaneously with this being done,
the number of cases of diarrhoea underwent a marked diminution."
It is only under such circumstances, where large bodies of men are similarly placed,
that this decisive evidence can be obtained.
The next example, showing the effects of the use of impure water to a lamentable
extent, is clearly shown in a report on the last two cholera epidemics of London. A committee
was appointed " to inquire as fully as possible into the sanitary influence of different
qualities of water supply; especially into the power of unclean water to aggravate the
epidemic ravages of cholera." The districts examined were those on this side of the Thames,
where masses of similar population were dwelling side by side ; and the exterior influences
which affected them were, with a single exception, identical." This single exception was
" the quality of the water consumed in different households." The water was obtained from
two very different sources—one from the Thames at Ditton, and the other from the Thames
at Battersea—the former being " as good water as any distributed in London, whilst the
latter was, perhaps, the filthiest stuff ever drunk by a civilized community." In a population
of about 166,906 persons, supplied by the Lambeth company, who pumped their water from
the higher part of the river, there occurred 611 cholera deaths, being at the rate of 37 to
every 10,000 living. In a population of about 268,171 persons, supplied by the Vauxhall
Company, who pumped their water from the lower, there occurred 3,476 deaths, being at
the rate of 130 for every 10,000 living. After such testimony as this, nothing more remains
to be said.†
It would be well that the Vestry should urge, at every suitable opportunity, a continued
instead of an intermittent supply of water ; for I feel confident that there is no one
single cause which would so much help forward sanitary progress as that, besides giving us
the satisfaction of getting rid of those foul and animalcula-procreating receptacles—water
butts.
* Lancet, No. 10, Vol. I., 1860.
t See Report on the two last Cholera Epidemics of London, by the Medical Officer of the Board.