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
Barking 1898
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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5
Complete Analysis of sample of water taken in the Town,
both Chemical and Bacteriological.
Chemical.
Colour in 2ft. tube, colourless; Turbidity, none; Odour, none.
| Constitutents in— | Grains per Gallon. | Parts per Million. |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Residue left on evaporation, dried at 110° | 79.2 | — |
| Loss of residue after ignition - | 8.0 | — |
| 2. Chlorine present as Chlorides | 24.2 | — |
| 3. Ammonia, free | — | 0.01 |
| Do. albuminoid - | — | 003 |
| 4. Nitric Acid (HNO1) present as nitrates - | 0.77 | — |
| 5. Nitrites ------ | None | — |
| 6. Oxygen Absorbed - | 0.016 | 0.238 |
| 7. Hardness Total - | 23.4 | — |
| 8. *Metals ------ | NoPb. | Cu Fe. |
* Remarks: =39'9 grains Salt; Lead, Copper, Iron, absent.
The Chlorides, Hardness, and Total Residue are high ; but the
water as regards Organic matter is of a high degree of purity, and in
my opinion is quite safe for use for drinking.
Frederic Jas. M. Page, B.Sc., F.I.C.
November 23rd, 1898.
Report on the Examination of a Sample of Water taken by R. Blewitt,
from Dr. Fenton's house, constant supply, November 10th, 1898, by
W. Bulloch, M.D.—
The water was examined in plate cultivations on gelatine, agar, and
special media for Pathogenic bacteria. At the end of four days the
number of colonies per cubic centimetre was estimated at 200. These
bacterial colonies were of the ordinary water bacterium type. No
organisms resembling any of the known pathogenic bacteria were
found. In conjunction with the chemical examination made by
Mr. Page, I consider that the bacteriological examination shows the
water to be hygienically safe and good.
W. Bulloch.
I visited the Reservoir at Aveley, from which the Town derives or
partly derives its supply, and I found there was apparently no possible
means by which any pollution could reach the water there. It is a;
covered reservoir.