SANITARY NOTES. 
KHARTOUM 
85 
consicleTiihle quantities of iron and manganese. The bores are protected down to a depth of 
70 feet by iron tubes, but tliese tubes terminate, not in an impermeable bed of clay, but in 
porous sandstone. As Dr. Beam has entered somewhat fully into the matter in his Chemical 
Eeport there is no need for me to be discursive here, and one may at once proceed 
to a consideration of the results obtained in the bacteriological examination of the water from 
these wells. A sample taken on January 1st, 1908, after 48 hours’ pumping from Well 
No. 3, the temperature of the water being 28° C., yielded 48 hours agar plates incubated at 
37° C., which were uncountable even when only 0'2 c.c. of the water was tested. There were 
certainly over 2000 colonies per 1 c.c. and B. coli was present in 0'02 c.c. The organism 
differed only from “flaginac’’ B. coli in not producing gas in a lactose medium. 
On January 11th, 1908, another sample was taken after prolonged and nearly continuous 
pumping for six days. 
Result . — Agar count as above = 1,126 colonies per 1 c.c. B. coli (“ flaginac ”) in 0 02 c.c. 
It was evident that the water was contaminated, and an effort was made to secure a better 
sample from this well. 
On January 19th, a test was made. The number of organisms per 1 c.c. had fallen to 
218, but true “flaginac ’’ B. coli was present in 1 c.c. of the water. 
On February 23rd, a partial examination was made of the water (temperature=30° C.) 
from Wells 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, after 72 hours’ continuous pumping, and 328 colonies per 1 c.c. 
were found, and B. coli in 1 c.c. as before. 
On March 1st, the water from the same wells was again sampled, after a prolonged pumping 
trial, and there proved to be 368 colonies present per 1 c.c., while, as usual, “ flaginac ’’ B. coli 
was found in 1 c.c. and larger quantities. It was not present in 0'02 c.c. or OT c.c. 
Bacillus enteritidis sporogenes was present in 500 c.c., but not in 1000 c.c. of the water. 
Streptococci were present in OT c.c. 
Enough has been said to show that the water at the time these tests were made was 
bacteriologically impure. It was, indeed, condemned without any hesitation. It remains to be 
seen what future examinations will reveal, but I have all along held that, topographically, the 
conditions are not satisfactory, and it is of special interest to note that a distinct ratio 
appears to exist between the number of organisms in the well-water and the number found in 
the Blue Nile. There are just about four times as many in the former as in the latter, while 
B. coli is found in 1 c.c. of the former and 5 c.c. of the latter. One is led to the conclusion 
that Blue Nile water is making its way into the unprotected bore-holes, and doubtless the 
increased temperature brings about a multiplication of the organisms. At the same time, one 
must not forget the presence of shallow, unprotected wells, and of an old native cemetery at no 
great distance, while a recent paper by Dawson' has pointed out that, in India, black clay soil 
may act as a culture medium instead of as a filter. Dawson’s paper is very valuable in the 
light of what has been found at Khartoum, where the whole water question is on a very 
unsatisfactory basis. Personally, I am persuaded that we would be well advised to sink tube 
wells in the river sands, and so obtain a clear and practically inexhaustible supply which could 
be properly filtered under careful supervision, the filter action being controlled by frequent 
bacteriological tests. Certain it is that at present the Burrb deep well-water is quite unfit for 
consumption, while the presence of iron and manganese in it has resulted in the growth of 
Crenothrix polyspora in the pipes. Fortunately, the representations from the laboratories have 
been effectual in preventing this water being supplied to the town. Bacteriologically, many 
more examinations will have to be conducted throughout a whole year before our knowledge of 
the conditions can be considered complete. Space does not permit of any more extended 
' Dawson, A. W. (January, 1907), “ The Supply of Drinking Water in India, and its Connection with the 
Sub-soil Water.” Jourtml of the Boyal Institute of Public Health. 
Bacteriological 
analysis of 
Burre water 
supply 
