[Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Newport (Isle of Wight) Urban Sanitary District.

  • Newport (Isle of Wight, England). Urban Sanitary District.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Newport (Isle of Wight) Urban Sanitary District. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The samples for chemical analysis collected on the 4th of November were taken in the new well itself and from the 12in. main at the Carisbrooke works. These samples proved to be practically indentical in chemical composition and possessed an extremely high degree of organic purity. They were of most excellent chemical quality for dietetic and all domestic purposes. The samples for bacterioscopic examination collected on the 4th of November were taken from the west, east, and north adits in the new well. On cultivation upon gelatin-peptone plates, these samples yielded the following numbers of colonies of microbesJper cubic centimetre :— West adit ... ... 30 per c.c. East adit ... ... 32 ,, North adit ... ... 72 ,, These results are very satisfactory when it is considered that the samples could not be collected at the bottom of the well under circumstances precluding the possibility of microbial contamination by the operator. During the interval between November 4th and December 6th the well had been entirely sealed up and rendered inac¬ cessible, whilst about 800,000 gallons of water per day had been running to waste. The sample on December 6th was taken from the main delivering water from the new well at the Carisbrooke works, in the presence of Mr. Walden, sanitary inspector, Dr. Coombs, medical officer of health, and Mr. Rich, chairman of the Waterworks Committee. After four days’ incubation this sample produced 104 colonies of microbes per cubic centimetre. Although this number is slightly above the accepted standard (100 per c.c.), I consider it quite satisfactory, because the water had to travel through a long length of main from the well to the point where the sample was taken. I anticipate that this number will decrease in time nearly down to 0 ; but even at the present time Newport may be congratulated on having a supply of most excellent water of extremely high organic purity. I am, Gentlemen, Yours very truly, E. FrANKLAND. Remarks.—In conclusion, I think the health of the borough for the past year is a cause for congratulation. The births have been above the average of the past five years, the death-rate the lowest since 1893, and the number of cases of notifiable infectious diseases is a large decrease on last year’s total.