Rivers pollution (Scotland) : report to Her Majesty's Secretary for Scotland / by Alfred E. Fletcher ; presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty.

  • Fletcher, Alfred E.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Rivers pollution (Scotland) : report to Her Majesty's Secretary for Scotland / by Alfred E. Fletcher ; presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    also the dyers who were the supposed authors of the alleged pollution. Mr. Treasurer, sanitary officer of Auchterarder, was also present. Among these there was an agreement of testimony that the water of Mill Lade containing that portion of the River Ruthven which passed through the two dye works in the district was often discoloured and polluted by the refuse liquors there allowed to enter it. This pollution was intermittent, being greater at the time when the spent dye liquors were discharged. These facts were not disputed by the dyers, but they denied that their opera- tions were sufficiently large to constitute a serious pollution of the water. They also claimed a prescriptive right to the use of the water in their dye works. I ascertained that the sewage water of the town of Auchterarder after filtering over the surface of a meadow passed into the Ruthven. I then collected samples of the water of the stream and of the sewage water after its passage over the irrigated meadow ; also specimens of the spent dye liquors which are from time to time discharged from the dye works. At the time of my visit the water of the stream was but slightly discoloured. I therefore desired two of the complainants to forward me a specimen of the river when the pollution, judging from the colour, was at its height. This they did. The spent dye liquors as discharged from the dye works before dilution with the water of the brook are strongly coloured with dye stuffs and contain in solution soaps, acids, chromates, and other salts. The various specimens of water so collected were afterwards analysed. The results are given as an appendix to this report. On reference to this it will be seen that the pollution and dis- coloration, though not great when compared with that found in many manufacturing districts, is still considerable, and should be avoided as far as is practicable without seriously burdening the dyeing industry there carried on. In my opinion much might be done in this direction by the dyers without entailing great expense. A great part of the material held in solution in the waste liquors referred to may be precipitated and separated from the water by the simple mixing together of the liquors themselves with a proper addition of lime and afterwards correcting the alkalinity by sulphuric acid. This is done successfully by dyers in other places, notably by those at Galashiels. The expense involved in such operations would be limited to that of constructing a settling pond on the adjacent land and pumping the waste liquors into it. After time has been allowed for the mixture to subside and clarify, clear water may be drawn from the top and discharged into the river. The details of such an operation are such as any dyer versed in the chemistry of his art will readily be able to arrange. As a result of my investigation of this case I am of opinion that there is pollution of the water of the Ruthven, caused by the operations carried on at the dye works of Messrs. James Caw and
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