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6
REPORT ON A SAMPLE OF WATER TAKEN FROM THE WELL
IN THE DESTRUCTOR YARD:—
Report on a sample of water received from Dr. Loane, M.O.H., to the
Whitechapel District Board of Works, on September 12th, 1898.
By Professor John Attfikld, Ph.D., F.R.S.; Professor of Practical
Chemistry to the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 1862 to 1896;
author of a Manual of Chemistry and a Handbook on Water supplies, etc.,
London,
September 13th, 1898. 111, Temple Chambers, E.C.
The appended analytical data show that this water contains a contaminating
quantity of organic (animal or vegetable) matter. In addition it contains a
large amount of dissolved solids and is a decidedly hard water. I11 my
opinion it is not a suitable water for drinking and general domestic use.
Signed, John Attfield.
ANALYTICAL DATA.
One gallon contains the following number of grains and decimal parts of a
grain of the respective substances :—
Total suspended solid matter, dried at 250F. Nil
Total dissolved solid matter, dried at 250F. 79.0
Ammoniacal matter, yielding ten per cent. of nitrogen 0.138
(Equal to ammonia per million, 0.24).
Albumenoid organic matter, yielding ten per cent. of nitrogen 0.088
(Equal to ammonia per million, 0.152).
Nitrites Absent
Nitrates, containing seventeen per cent of nitrogen1.4
(Equal to grains of nitrogen per gall. 0.23).
Chlorides, containing sixty per cent of chlorine 12.83
(Equal to grains of chlorine per gall, 7.7).
Hardness, reckoned as chalk grains or " degrees " removed by
Ebullition 22.1
Unaffected by ebullition 14.8
36.9
Lead or CopperAbsent
Physical Examination, clear, odourless, palatable.
Oxygen absorbed in three hours
Signed, John Attfield.
Apropos of Analysis.—I wish to call attention to some analyses of Ice Creams at the
end of this report. The samples were submitted at a time when much excitement on
this subject was present in London.
Through the Chairman of the Board of the City of London, as also the
London and India Joint Dock Company agreed to supply water if required.
The former offer was taken advantage of to some extent by the Surveyor.
The marriages which took place within the District numbered 512. Last year
they amounted to 504 and in the two previous years they were respectively 434
and 409.
The total births which were registered in the four Sub-Registration Districts
during the 52 weeks of the year 1898, amounted to 3,125 as compared with
3,150 for the year 1897.