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than has been previously registered, the total amount of solid
matter in the Chelsea and West Middlesex Companies' waters
was slightly less than in the previous year. Both of these companies
have greatly improved their works. The reason why the
quality of the water has not been improved is, because the
weather has been, during the last three years, unexceptionally
unfavourable and the condition of the Thames water, before
filtration, particularly bad.
Meteorology.
The mean reading of the barometer during last year was
29.810 inches. The highest temperature by day was 87.5 degs.
Fahrenheit in May. The lowest temperature by night was
17.2 degs. Fahrenheit in January. The mean temperature for the
year was 49.4 degs. Fahrenheit. Rain fell on 158 days. The
total rain fall was 29.68 inches.
Disinfecting Apparatus.
The disinfecting apparatus has now been in use for a period
of nearly three years, and it has continued to work in a most
satisfactory manner. Some hundreds of infected articles were
disinfected duringlast year. Nocomplaints have been received that
they were at all injured by the process, nor has any outbreak of
disease been known to occur from using them.
In conclusion, I beg to thank your Board for the confidence
you have been pleased to place in my opinion and for the manner
in which you have adopted all my recommendations. It is an
encouragement for a public officer to feel that he possesses the
unanimous confidence of the Board for whom his advice is
retained, besides which it is a great advantage for the efficient
execution of his duty for him to know that his judgment will be
relied upon.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
N. C. COLLIER,
Medical Officer of Health.
Capstone House,
Hammersmith.