View report page

23
were very satisfactory : the children seen were well cared for and in many instances it was evident that a
bond of real affection united the foster parent and the child.
The Departmental Committee also recommended that Section II of the Children Act should be so
amended-as to render liable to inspection all homes and institutions undertaking, whether for payment or
not, the entire control and custody of children up to the age of 14 years, unless such custody and control be
given by order of the Court. So far the proposals of the Committee have not been embodied in any
Bill.
The work ot this branch was carried out at tour laboratories, viz. the Central Laboratory at feavoyhill,
Greenwich Power Station and the Northern and Southern Outfalls.
During the year a large number of samples submitted by departments of the Council have been
examined, in most cases as to their compliance with specified conditions or general suitability for use ;
among these were 200 samples of cement, a similar number of petroleum (under the Petroleum Acts), 158
of paints, colours and varnishes, 201 samples of coal, 68 of soap and 47 samples submitted under the
Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs Act, as well as 1,100 samples of milk and 128 other meals supplied to
necessitous children. Analyses in connection with the control of the use and storage of petroleum were
made of 124 samples of gases used at works in the County for creating a definitely non-explosive atmosphere
in dry-cleaning and de-greasing plants in which petroleum was used. In addition to the above, the
work of the staff at the Central Laboratory includes the carrying out of analytical work in connection
with a variety of investigations, such as corrosion of condenser tubes, heat insulating materials, etc.
W ork of the
Chemical
Branch.
Central
laboratory.
The work of this laboratory, commenced temporarily some years ago and placed on a permanent
basis in May, 1920, has been continued. The ordinary work consists of the examination of a large number
of hotwell, condenser, softener and boiler waters, and samples taken from the fuel burnt each day ; also
examinations of flue gases and special deliveries of lime, soda, coal and of ash from the furnaces.
Greenwich
Power
Station
Laboratory,
At the Outfall Laboratories, the systematic daily examination of sewage treated and the resulting
effluent and sludge, as well as the water of the river Thames at both high and low tide, has been continued.
Experimental work on methods of treatment likely to be more effective than those in use at the
Council's Outfalls was authorised in June, 1920. Three distinct methods of applying the same principles
of purification were selected for comparative experiment. So far, only one plant has been erected and
brought into operation. This is of a type which has been set up and used elsewhere and it is hoped by a
comparison of the working of the other plants to be erected to obtain guidance as to the most suitable
means of carrying out anv desired improvements at the Outfalls.
Outfalls.
Sewage
treatment.
The special examination of the river was continued in a modified and reduced form in 1921.
Arrangements were made for examination of river water daily at Waterloo Bridge and weekly at each of
three places between this point and the Outfalls where examinations have been made for many years
at high and low water daily. The effect of the phenomenally dry season was very marked in the tidal
reaches of the Thames. From February onwards there was a marked deficiency of rainfall, which led to a
decreasing fresh water flow of the river. One result of this was that salt tidal water found its way to the
upper part of the tideway to a more marked degree than in any recent summers. A statement in the
public press to the effect that the use from motives of economy of river water for watering purposes at
Kew Gardens led to the wilting of the plants so watered and that analysis showed this to be due to the
saltness of the water illustrates the marked increase of salinity in these upper reaches. Examinations
made of samples collected as far up as Teddington during the summer, when a launch was available for
this purpose, fully confirmed the great excess of salinity of the river water at Kew and above. This
increased salinity caused considerable trouble at Greenwich Power Station and some of the pumping
stations of the main drainage service where extreme corrosion, leading to piercing of condenser tanks,
could be attributed only to this cause.
River
Thames.
An unusually dry season has other effects on the water of the Thames than causing an increase of
saltness of its waters. A less rapid flow downwards towards the sea means that the various pollutions,
mostly sewage effluent, accumulate in the upper reaches in a more or less concentrated form, instead of
being diluted and carried seaward. As a consequence of this, a very long stretch of the river was for
most of the latter part of the year in a less satisfactory state than it has been for many years.
The pollution of this river by the effluent from Enfield was the subject of proceedings on the part of
the Lee Conservancy Board, which were continued into 1921. No very definite result ensued from these
proceedings. The Lee has been kept under observation for some years and the Council's officers and those
of the Conservancy Board have been in close touch. Examinations made in 1921 showed that the condition
of the Lee below Tottenham Lock—that is, where the Lee joins the County of London—has been invariably
bad. Certain sources of pollution were discovered and examined and the relatively large tributary,
the Pymmes Brook, was examined for many miles by the chemist. His report, which showed on analytical
and other evidence the existence of many sources of pollution was, by order of the public health
committee, communicated to the Lee Conservancy Board, who are following up the matter. Owing
to the very dry season, the condition of the Lee was unusually bad in the Summer of 1921, and the
metropolitan borough of Hackney called public attention to the matter.
River Lec.
The work initiated in conjunction with the chief engineer last year on the condition of the River
Wandle, engaged attention. Recommendations were made with a view to preventing the accumulation
of vegetable and other organic matter in the Mill Pool at Pimms' Mills. It appears, as a result of the
investigations, that the condition of the Wandle below the Power Station is due partly to the very strong
effluent discharged by the Croydon rural authority and partly to the acceleration of chemical change
by the increase of temperature of the water whilst passing through the condensers at the Power Station
of the L. & S.W. Rly at Earlsfield. These two causes are aided by the opportunity for sedimentation
above Pimms' Mills.
River
Wandle,