Water analysis, as it should, and as it should not, be performed by the Medical Officer of Health. With illustrations / by Cornelius B. Fox.

Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Water analysis, as it should, and as it should not, be performed by the Medical Officer of Health. With illustrations / by Cornelius B. Fox. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    mum amount which should he permitted in drinking water as *08 of one part in a million. He has, however, laid down the following rules in the third edition of his work, just published, relative to the amount of organic matter which is allowable in potable waters. He writes : “ If a water yield *00 parts of albuminoid ammonia per million, it may he passed as organ-1 ically pure, despite of much free ammonia and chlorides ; and if, indeed, the albuminoid ammonia amount to ‘02, or to less than *05 parts per million, the water belongs to the class of very pure water. When the albuminoid ammonia amounts] to ’05, then the proportion of free ammonia becomes an element in the calculation; and I should be inclined to regard j with some suspicion a water yielding a considerable quantity of free ammonia, along with *05 parts of albuminoid am- monia per million. Free ammonia, however, being absent, or very small, a water should not be condemned unless the albuminoid ammonia reaches something like *10 per million. Albuminoid ammonia above *10 per million begins to be a very suspicious sign; and over -15 ought to condemn aj water absolutely.” My experience is quite in harmony with nearly all here stated. I cannot agree with Mr. Wanklyn in looking with suspicious eyes at a water yielding a considerable amount of free ammonia, along with '05 parts of albuminoid ammonia per; million. Waters renowned for purity which: con- tain an excess of free ammonia. Here, for instance, are the analyses of three waters, all from deep artesian wells situated in a little village :— Pasts per Million. Free Ammonia. Alb. Ammonia. A. Depth 385 ft. B. Very deep. G. Depth 330 ft. •59 •41 •37 •04 •07 •06