'Water Analyses'

The President of the Association, Dr R D Thomson, had made regular analyses of the water supply of the Metropolis and his results had been published in the Weekly Returns of the Registrar-General. After Dr Thomson's death in 1864 the work was taken on by Dr H Letheby, MOH for the City of London. The Registrar-General then made arrangements with the Royal College of Chemistry to make the analyses for the Weekly Returns and declined to publish the Association's results. However, the Association's returns continued and were published in The Medical Times and Gazette and elsewhere. The Council recommended the discontinuance of the monthly analyses in 1880. This followed the resignation of Dr Meynott Tidy, who had taken over the work in 1876, and the question of the returning officers' links with the water companies

The analyses cover the Thames and other water companies. They are written on printed forms, except Aug-Oct 1865 which are entirely ms., and signed by Dr Letheby from 1866-1871 and Dr Tidy from 1877.

Note that K.34 was found in the 'Elliston' box, but K.33 had already been listed as A228 in the Handlist of Public Health Records by M Pelling (Oxford, 1985). It is presumed that they were originally together, but had somehow become separated.

1865-1880

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