rs 
Proceedings. lv 
Water Suppry. 
Before returning to Geology, the subject of last year’s Address, 
some papers, &c., referring to Water Supply, may be conveniently 
noticed together. Two of these escaped noticed before; but the 
others are of late date. 
1894. 
G. Hopson. Epsom Local Board of Health. Report . . on 
the Water Supply to the Town. Fol. Pp. 29. 
Describes the existing works and the sources of supply, with 
an outline of the geology. Gives a chemical report on the water 
by Dr. EK. Frankland, with an analysis. Other analyses by Dr. 
Jacob and Dr. Stevenson are also given. All show the water to 
be pure. 
The water in an eighteen inch bore-hole stands seven feet 
above that in shallower bores, and is slightly harder. 
1891. ; 
B. Larnam, “ The Relation of Ground Water to Disease.’’* 
In this Presidential Address, our member, as is not unnatural, 
deals “ more especially with the records of Croydon’’; but you 
may be surprised to hear that one reason for this is that we 
have ‘‘ a comparatively perfect register of Baptisms and Burials, 
going back to . . 1539.” 
That Mr. Latham has laboured long in observations on under- 
ground water is well known to us, and that he spares neither 
trouble nor cost in this work; so that his words are weighty. 
We learn many things: for instance, ‘‘ that the incidence of 
disease in Croydon three hundred years ago did not differ greatly 
from what is observed at the present time’’; that, although 
cold is shown to affect health, yet, ‘‘in all probability, cold is not 
an important factor as affecting the health of children under 
five’’; that ‘‘ the deaths of children increase in a remarkable 
degree at the period of low ground water, and the death rate 
fluctuates in a singular manner compared with the variation in 
the annual amount of ground water . . being . . greatest with 
the lowest ground water.” 
However, ‘‘ certain diseases are more rife when the water is 
higk in the ground, and others when the water is low,’’ but, on 
the whole, ‘‘ periods of drought mark the periods of disease,” and 
‘*wet summers are usually healthy,’ which is some consolation 
for bad weather. 
The occurrence of fever-epidemics in Croydon in connection 
* Quart. Journ. Roy. Meteor. Soc., vol. xvii, pp. 1-18. 
