Reports on the chemical analysis of samples of water drawn from cisterns in different parts of the City of Glasgow / by Professor Anderson and Dr. Wallace, and note thereon by Dr. Gairdner (Medical Officer of the City).

  • Anderson, Thomas, 1819-1874
Date:
1869
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reports on the chemical analysis of samples of water drawn from cisterns in different parts of the City of Glasgow / by Professor Anderson and Dr. Wallace, and note thereon by Dr. Gairdner (Medical Officer of the City). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    both house aud water-closet. House has not been occupied since March. No. 10. Cistern at 492 St. Vincent Street, supplying both house and water-closet. The house has been unoccupied since May last. For comparison with these I have also examined water drawn direct from a pipe in the Laboratory, which does not communicate with a cistern, and must therefore represent the water exactly as supplied to the public. This I have marked No. 11. The whole of these waters were perfectly clear, colourless, and tasteless, and were quite free from sediment or any solid impurities, which might by possibility have got into the cis- terns. Not the slightest trace of smell could be detected, even by the most minute examination. So far, therefore, as external characters are concerned, all these waters would be described as pure. On examining into the gases held in solu- tion, it was found that none of them contained sulijhuretted hydrogen. The proportions of the other gases found are con- tained in the following Table, in which the quantities of carbonic acid, oxygen, and nitrogen are expressed in cubic inches per gallon, and that of ammonia in fractions of a grain. In four cases traces of lead were also detected. These I have also given, the numbers giving the number of parts of water containing one part of lead. Cai'ljonic Acid. Oxygen. Nitrogen. Ammonia. Lead. 1 0-63 2-12 3-63 0 024 2 0-21 2 03 3-98 0-005 3 trace 212 3 S3 0:004 4 0-63 1-93 3-67 0-004 865,800 5 0-42 5'75* 0 008 932,400 6 0-43 1-93 3-66 0012 7 0-21 1-93 3-60 0 012 8 063 215 3-63 0 029 560,000 9 0 64 1 93 3-4.5 0 008 932,000 10 0 43 193 3-65 0-004 11 , ■1 0 42 2-34 4-04 0-008 * Owing to an accident in tlie Laboratory, the exact proportions of oxj-gcn and nitrogen could not be determined. Tlie oxygen, however, was abundant.