The magnetic purification of river water and the report of the sewage committee of 1864 / by Thomas Spencer.

  • Spencer, Thomas
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The magnetic purification of river water and the report of the sewage committee of 1864 / by Thomas Spencer. 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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    A few words now as to that of Mr. Waj'. Without unduly disparaging the other witnesses, Mr. AVay, being an analytical chemist, is the only one who appeared on the inquiry, professionally competent to give a scientific opinion of any value. On turning to this gentleman's evidence, I find it commences thus—the question being put by the noble chairman :— 4702. A case was mentioned to this Committee of a trial at Uxbridge, with regard to allowing the sewage to run into the river; and from the Keport of Vice-Ohancellor Wood, it appeared that he rested chiefly on your evidence; for you stated that science had discovered no means of perfectly purifying water which had once been polluted by sewage; is that statement correct?—At this moment (says the witness, in reply) I cannot recall the circumstances exactly. I recollect something about the case, but it has never been brought before ray attention since that lime, and I was not aware that the decision of the vice-chancellor was founded on my evidence. Of course it must be so if the noble chairman states it; but if I stated that the sewage could not be perfectly jmrilicd by any knowa chemical means, I should repeat that statement. On reading this, I leave it to any acquainted with evidence to say, whether a question to a witness, so put, and so answered, would be accepted as evidence in a court of law. Thus, we have a species of loose testimony which would certainly not be permitted to weigh in a case between two private individuals, deemed sufficient on which to found a law to bind a whole kingdom. Farther on, it is true, Mr. Way repeats the statement he was thus led to make at the com- mencement, but it is clear that in so doing, he intended to speak of the inefficiency of ordinary sand filtration, including doodorisation with lime, as well as chloride of iron—all of which, I am equally aware, are delusive as purifying agents. On reading this chemist's evidence in extenso, I wrote to him to inquire, whether, previously to giving it, he had made any experimental trials ot my mode of purifying water, which he must have known I had already applied— and was applying, in several instances ? Though I am not on unfriendly terms with Mr. Way, and, as a member of my own profession, have had occasion to correspond with him before now —and although my letter is several months old, he has not as yet ventured on a reply. Nor can this be set down to his not having heard of the mode I referred to, as I have more than once had casual conversations with him on the subject. Meanwhile, I much doubt whether he has had any opportunity of making himself acquainted with it in practice, and therefore, in his evi- dence, could hardly speak of what was so little known to him. But what I object to is, that he should be quoted as an authority in condemning, by implication, a mode of purification with which he has had no practical acquaintance; and so also with regard to Professor Acland and the other witnesses. At the same time, the Committee, or its Chairman, shut out evidence of a mode of purification calculated to obviate the evil for which a main object of its appointment was, to suggest a remedy. Yours very respectfully. London, Dec. 2nd, 1864, THOS. SPENCER, F.C.S., Chemical Engineer.
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