View report page

28
CHEMICAL BRANCH
Introduction
the following report on the Chemical Branch, prepared by Mr. C.J. Regan, who
retired from the position of Chemist-in-Chief in March, 1954, includes a history of the
branch since its formation :
In view of my forthcoming retirement this is the last annual report for which I shall
be responsible and I much appreciate the compliment that this has been chosen to be the
occasion on which an account shall be given of the history of the use of chemistry and
the allied sciences in the service of the population of London, and also a more extensive
description of the investigations which have been made by the Chemical Branch in 1953.
The first known instance of the appointment of a chemist to a predecessor of the
London County Council was that of a consulting chemist (T. W. Keates) to the
Metropolitan Board of Works in 1869. A few years later, in 1878, this was made a
whole-time position and there was formed a Chemical and Gas Department. W. J.
Dibdin was appointed to succeed Keates in 1887 and when the London County Council
was formed in 1889 to take over the functions of the Board of Works this was one of
the few departments into which it was organised. In those early days its duties were
largely concerned with the questions of sewage disposal and gas supplies. At that time
the sewage disposal works at Beckton and Crossness were under construction, it having
been decided, following the findings of the Royal Commission on Metropolitan
Sewage Discharge, 1882-4 (Bramwell Commission), to treat the sewage by the addition
of chemicals. This service hence became a joint one between the Chief Engineer and the
Chemist. In the nineteenth century gas was used principally as an illuminant and Acts of
Parliament governed its testing for illuminating power and also the maximum amount
of sulphur which it should contain. Another subject which, in the 1890's, was of first
importance from the chemical aspect was that of water supply and the London County
Council gave much attention to it. The need of co-ordination in the London area had
been realised and consideration was given to the possible sources which might be utilised
for what it was realised would be the greatly increasing future demand. The Council
appointed a special Water Committee and a large scale survey was carried out and
many samples were analysed from rivers and streams in Wales with a view to possible
reservoir and pipeline construction to convey the water to London ; but the final
decision was against this project and the Metropolitan Water Board was later formed to
take over the responsibility for the water supply of London.
In addition to that concerned with these special services, other chemical work
carried out at the formation of the London County Council dealt with the examination
of general stores such as soaps, oils, etc., and foodstuffs for residential institutions and
statutory work on the testing of petroleum in relation to the issue of storage licences.
In 1897 W. J. Dibdin resigned and Dr. F. Clowes was appointed to be Chemist. On his
retirement in 1912 the Chemical and Gas Department was abolished and the bulk of its
work was merged in the then rapidly developing Public Health Department of which it
became the Chemical Branch ; so it has remained ever since, the Chemist-in-Chief
working under the general direction of the Medical Officer of Health. Succeeding
Chemists-in-Chief have been J. H. Coste 1912-1936, E. T. Shelbourn 1936-1938,
E. R. Andrews 1938-1941, and the present author 1941-1954.
The known use of chemistry started in 1869 and has thus existed for 85 years. Since
my own service has covered exactly half this time (1911-1954) it may be of some
interest to comment on the changes which have occurred in that period.
The field of work in 1911 was much smaller than that at the present day and the
simplicity of the chemical analyses then required as contrasted with the complexity of
those of the present time illustrates the vast strides which have been made in the