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it is situated. This piece of water is open to the
objection of all masses of standing water, which
contain decomposing animal or vegetable matter.
During the summer season the water becomes
deoxygenated, and the consequence is, that the
animal and vegetable matter contained in it give off
putrid and injurious compounds into the atmosphere.
In the Serpentine a larger quantity of such matters
are found, on account of the large mass of vegetation
which grow on its banks, as well as the unhappy
arrangement by which the stored waters of the
Ranelagh sewers are allowed to pass into it. These
I believe are the principal causes which have led to
the presence of the effluvium, which has been so
much complained of by those who walk or drive on
its banks. These evils can only be got rid of by
shutting off the contents of the Ranelagh sewer,
and supplying a quantity of fresh water sufficient
to oxygenate the decomposing vegetable matters
which are produced by the plants in the water and
the trees around.
This would probably serve to render the water
free from objection to those who frequent its
banks for exercise, but for those who use it as a
bath much more extensive change is needed. Not
only does the water of the Serpentine contain
organic matter suspended, but at the bottom it
contains mud several feet in thickness, which,
being stirred by the bather, renders the water
turbid, and even odorous, and unfit for purposes of