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

Wandsworth 1856

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]

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Table: TABLE III.Table shewing the Impurity and Hardness of samples of the several kinds of Water in general usein the Parish of Wandsworth.

TABLE III.Table shewing the Impurity and Hardness of samples of the several kinds of Water in general usein the Parish of Wandsworth.

Source of Supply.Date.Solid Constituents in grains per Imperial Gallon.Hardnessin degrees,each degree equal to 1 grain of Chalk per gal.Remarks,
Organic matter.Inorganic matter.Total impurity.Temporary.Per- manent.Total.
Artesian boring at Young and Bainbridge'sBrew- ery, High Street.February0.95519.63520.59..7° 317° 31Sparkling, col- ourless, odorless.
March1.01519.6020.615••....
Artesian boring at Summerstown.February1.3019.4520.757° 047° 0614° 1Ditto.
Southwark and Vauxhall Co. from 1 a main in High ( Street.March1.3516.7318.086° 356° 4012° 75Clear, colourless, odorless.
River Wandle af-ter filtration, at 1 Messrs. McMur- | ray's Paper Mills.March2.4516.5218.973° 3410° 6614oDitto.
River Wandle near the Bridge.February7.2117.7324.948° 785° 8014° 58Turbid from thepresence of much organic matter, visible to the na- ked eye; has an unpleasant smell.
March3.9017.5421.44• •....
April6.4516.9523.40••..••
Well common to Nos. 3 & 4 Church Row.January7.70103.0110.7015° 2133° 1548° 36Clear, straw col- oured, contains much nitric acid.
Pump at Dunse HillFebruary9.55111.95121.5016°1530°2546°4Ditto.
Do. at Warple RowApril11.375110.05121.42513°8658°6472°5Odourless, slightly opales-cent, slight trace of nitric acid.
Do. at Prince's PlaceApril13.5059.8073.305° 526° 0315Clear, colourless, odourless, con-tains nitric acid.
Do.at Point PleasantApril13.8237.2051.027° 218° 826°Ditto.
Do. at Spencer's CourtApril*14.69173.28187.97. .....Clear, straw coloured, contains much Nitric acid.
14.90172.66187.5619°4547° 2066° 65
Do. at Martin's Buildings,Frog- moor.April*15.40187.10202.50..Straw coloured, clear when first pumped, but soon becoming opalescent; trace of ammonia; contains much nitric acid
15.31186.65201.9616° 3744° 7561° 12

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The results contained in this table are the mean of not less than two analyses, several are of more
than two. The hardness was determined by the soap-test process of Dr. Clark, the permanent
hardness after boiling the water five minutes, the temporary hardness being the amount removable
by the boiling.
* These two analyses were made at the laboratory of St. Thomas' Hospital by Mr. Oersted, to whom, and to Dr. R.
Dundat Thompson, I am much indebted for kind assistance and advice in these investigations.