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the solid, matter, that the latter scarcely exceeds one
half of that present in the river waters, and is but little
more than one third of that in the deep well waters
either of the Kent Company, or of the Tottenham
Local Board of Health.
The proportion of organic material which the solid
matter invariably contains, is although very small,
nevertheless of the greatest importance in connection
with the use of the water for drinking purposes, for
though insignificant in quantity, yet it may be of the
most objectionable character on account of its origin.
Thus the water, both of the Thames and the Lea, receives,
above the points where it is abstracted for the purpose
of the Metropolitan supply, various contributions of
organic matter of animal origin, such as the drainage
From manured land, the effluents from sewage works,
and even raw sewage itself. This animal matter may
at any time be accompanied by zymotic poisons
dangerous to health, and although the chance of such
substances reaching the water consumer is greatly
reduced both by the filtration to which the water is
subjected by the Companies, and by the care which is
exercised in excluding the flood waters from their
reservoirs, yet in spite of these protective measures
there is no absolute guarantee that the noxious ingredients
which may at any time be present, are wholly
removed. Hence every encouragement should be given
to the Companies in their efforts to improve the
condition of their waters. Table A gives the proportion