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2
perature was 31.5° on the 4th May; the highest 80.2° on the 16th. The
greatest range of temperature during twenty-four hours was on the 18th May,
from 45° to 79°, being 34. But very little rain has fallen during the month ;
during the first week there was none; during the second, third, and fourth
weeks a total of only 0.55 of an inch, measured at Greenwich. The effect of
the dry warm weather has been to diminish the amount of water coming down
the rivers Lea and Thames, which supply London with water. This has been
measured on the weir at Stonebridge Lock in the Lea, where the depth of water
has fallen from 6.l inches on the 11th April to 3.7 inches on the 23rd May.
If the amount of solid impurity poured into these rivers above the points at
which they supply water to London be assumed to remain nearly constant, since
the quantity of water is much reduced, a given quantity of drinking water must
contain much more solid impurity than it did six weeks ago. This circumstance,
first noted by the Officer of Health for St. George in the East, may be fairly
expected to exercise in connexion with other things an important influence on
the health of the metropolis, especially in reference to the amount of diarrhoea,
during the summer months. In the "Workhouse the Inmates drink Well water,
which is not liable to such sudden changes, yet here diarrhoea has much
increased as stated above, so that the concentration of impure water is only one
amongst many causes.
On the accompanying Schedules the mortality and pauper sickness of the
month are shown as usual.
I remain, Gentlemen,
Tour obedient Servant,
THOMAS HILLIER, M.D., L.R.C.P.
21, TTppee Gowee Steeet.