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 1878

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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Table: The following table shows the proportions of organic elements (organic carbon and organic nitrogen) in the waters supplied by the local Companies during the year; the Kent Company's water being taken as a standard of comparison;—

The following table shows the proportions of organic elements (organic carbon and organic nitrogen) in the waters supplied by the local Companies during the year; the Kent Company's water being taken as a standard of comparison;—

Source.Company.Maximum.Minimum.Average.
Deep WellsKent1.80.851.3
River ThamesWest Middlesex5.92.94.2
Chelsea5.22.94.0
Grand Junction7.83.14.4

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The evidence of "previous animal contamination" in the river
waters is of importance, owing to the likelihood of morbific matter
derived from animal excreta being carried down the rivers and distributed
to the consumers.
Owing to the floods the river waters were often so much polluted as
to be extremely difficult to filter, whilst the deep, well waters, having
been exhaustively filtered and purified by percolation through great
thicknesses of porous strata, maintained their usual brilliancy and purity.

Table: The following table shows the results of observation as to the degree of efficiency of filtration of Thames water by the Local Companies, the examinations being made monthly:—

The following table shows the results of observation as to the degree of efficiency of filtration of Thames water by the Local Companies, the examinations being made monthly:—

Names of Companies.Number of occasions.
When clear and transparent.When slightly turbid.When turbid.When very turbid.
West Middlesex11100
Grand Junction8310
Chelsea11100

Table: When examined by the microscope the sediment deposited by turbid water, on standing, is almost always found to contain numbers of living and moving organisms. The subjoined table show s how often such organisms were noticed in the water supplied by the local Companies at the monthly examinations during 1878:—

When examined by the microscope the sediment deposited by turbid water, on standing, is almost always found to contain numbers of living and moving organisms. The subjoined table show s how often such organisms were noticed in the water supplied by the local Companies at the monthly examinations during 1878:—

Names of Companies.Number of occasions when moving organisms were found.
1869.1870.1871.1872.1873.1874.1875.1876.1877.1878
West Middlesex0000000001
Grand Junction4112357333
Chelsea3223274410