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
Heston and Isleworth 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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9
From these it will be seen that there was no deviation from the
usual standard of purity at the time of the outbreak.
The Chief Engineer had submitted samples of water to an
independent analyst, who had taken samples from the following
sources:—
(1) Representing The Metropolitan Water Board's supply entering
the storage tanks on the roof.
(2) From the drinking fountain on the Mezzanine floor.
(3) Hot water from steam coil heater in the canteen.
(4) From the cold water tap over the sink in the kitchen.
The result of these analyses were:—
| Parts per 100,000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample 1 | Sample 2 | Sample 3 | Sample 4 | |
| Total solid residue | 34.20 | 42.40 | 32.80 | 42.76 |
| Nitrogen as nitrates | .311 | .447 | .585 | .445 |
| Nitrogen as nitrites | 0 | trace | trace | trace |
| " Oxygen absorbed " in 4 hours at 26.7 C. | .082 | .172 | .191 | .175 |
| Chlorine (combined) | 1.55 | 2.70 | 3.55 | 2.70 |
| Alkalinity, calculated as carbonate of lime | 21.0 | 21.8 | 5.8 | 21.7 |
| Total Lime CaO | 13.77 | 14.30 | 7.37 | 14.32 |
| Total hardness (soap test) | 25.1 | 26.2 | 13.7 | 25.7 |
| Lead | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zinc | trace | .04 | trace | .07 |
(Sample 1 was brilliant, but the others were dull.)
The analyst reported that from these it was certain that "some
foreign water was finding its way into the service pipes and
seriously affecting the quality of the Metropolitan supply as delivered
into the storage tank on the roof."
This appeared impossible, but after a careful search the Chief
Engineer discovered that there was a small connection whereby it
was possible for some fraction of the Canal water used in various
processes to get into the drinking water supply in the following
manner.