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
Kensington 1874
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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bon and organic nitrogen) in the Kent Company's water being taken as unity, or the standard of comparison:—
| Name of Company. | Maximum. | Minimum. | Average. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| West Middlesex | 4.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Grand Junction | 4.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 |
| Chelsea | 7.1 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
Professor Frankland remarks that the water of the Thames is at
its source as free from pollution as the chalk well water, but on its
downward course becomes largely and progressively contaminated
by sewage and the washings of cultivated land, especially during
winter.
The average hardness of the Thames water—or the weight of
carbonate of lime, or its equivalent of other soap-destroying substances,
found in 100,000 parts of water was 21° or parts in 1873,
and 19°-7 in 1874. Large quantities of soap or soda are required to
soften the water before it is used for washing; but this process
could be accomplished for a small portion of the expense by substituting
lime for soap or soda, as practised on similar waters at
Aylesbury, Canterbury, Caterham, and Tring.
The following table exhibits the degree of efficiency of filtration of the waters:—
| Name of Company. | No. of occasions when clear and transparent. | No. of occasions when slightly turbid. | No. of occasions when turbid | No. of occasions when very turbid. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| West Middlesex | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Junction | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
The annexed table exhibits the results of such microscopic examinations during the past six years:—
| Name of Company. | Number of occasions when living organisms were found. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869. | 1870. | 1871. | 1872. | 1873. | 1874. | |
| Chelsea | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| West Middlesex | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Junction | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |