December 1C, 1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSxVCTIONS. 
480 
for this purpose, more than one ton of London sewage. 
The discharge of such liquors into rivers is a reckless 
waste. The following analysis of a sample of wool-suds 
(the liquid in which raw wool has been scoured) is an 
illustration of both the very noxious character of this 
liquid, and the great value which it possesses for agri¬ 
cultural purposes, as evidenced by the very high propor¬ 
tion of total combined nitrogen which it contains:— 
100,000 parts of this liquid gave 
Total solid matters in solution 
. 1099-4 
Organic carbon. 
Organic nitrogen ..... 
9’88 
Ammonia. 
. 54-61 
Total combined nitrogen . . 
. 54-85 
Mineral suspended matters 
. 870-95 
Organic suspended matters 
. 2611-65 
Arsenic. 
In dealing with the subject of the remedies to he ap¬ 
plied, the Commissioners call attention to the importance 
of keeping the very foul portion of the waste liquids 
separate from those of comparatively larger volume, but 
possessing so slight a polluting character as to render 
them admissible into watercourses without injury. 
Such a separation of polluting from comparatively in¬ 
nocuous liquids would present no formidable difficulties 
to the manufacturer, whilst it would greatly facilitate 
the purification of the really noxious portion of the dis¬ 
charges, inasmuch as the volume of polluting water re- 
•quiring- remedial treatment would be immensely reduced. 
Moreover these liquids, both on account of their greater 
concentration and by reason of their containing a larger 
proportion of combined nitrogen, have a considerable 
manure value, while the extraction of highly polluting 
matter, as for instance the oil from the soapsuds obtained 
in the washing both of the raw and manufactured ma¬ 
terial, yields, in some cases, a handsome profit. Partly 
on this account, and partly because of proceedings in 
equity or of actions at law, instances are not wanting of 
more or less successful attempts at the purification of 
these refuse liquors. 
The great concentration and consequent small bulk of 
the more highly polluting liquids produced in the woollen 
manufacture, also render feasible a method of disposing 
of them which would be utterly impracticable in the case 
of more dilute and voluminous foul watei-s, namely, by 
■evaporation. Under even moderately favourable cir¬ 
cumstances 1 lb. of coal will evaporate one gallon of 
water, consequently, in cases where the volume of the 
highly polluting liquids is known, the cost of thus dis¬ 
posing of these liquids is easily ascertained. In a case 
where the aggregate amount of such polluting liquor 
•daily discharged is 240 gallons, the daily expenditure 
of 240 lb. of coal would entirely prevent such pollution. 
At the somewhat extravagant price, in many districts 
where this occurs, of 15s. per ton of coal, this most effec¬ 
tive and simple mode of purification, or rather preven¬ 
tion, would cost rather less than Is. 8 d. per working 
•day. 
The method of evaporation is not recommended ex¬ 
clusively, however, but as an adjunct to other modes of 
purification, and especially in utilizing the waste heat 
from furnaces. 
In the purification of refuse liquids by chemical agents, 
the principal operation at present conducted is the re¬ 
covery of grease from the soapsuds produced in the 
washing operations of the woollen manufacture. But 
the Commissioners report that it is carried out in a very 
crude and imperfect manner. They consider that there 
are many well-known processes in technical chemistry 
which point to a much more effectual mode of separating 
these oily matters. A method suggested by them is, 
that after the addition of slight excess of sulphuric acid, 
the liquor should be briskly agitated with bisulphide of 
carbon, which would dissolve out the diffused minute oily 
globules in the form of an emulsion that would rapidly 
subside to the bottom of the vat, whence it could be 
drawn oft into a still, and the bisulphide of carbon vola¬ 
tilized by a steam heat, condensed, and recovered for fur¬ 
ther use. At present the grease-extracting process is 
carried out only with a view to profit, and the so-called 
“ purified” efilueiit water proved to be in all cases a most 
filthy and polluting liquid. 
But the Commissioners consider that the best and 
most profitable mode of cleansing the foul liquids of 
woollen factories will be found in their application to 
land, and that their utility would be augmented by pre¬ 
viously mixing them with several times their volume of 
town sewage. They also report favourably upon a sys¬ 
tem of intermittent filtration through porous earth, de¬ 
scribed in a former report, for the purification of sewage 
and the waste liquors from calico printworks and woollqn 
factories. 
After an exhaustive review of the information they 
had been able to collect, the Commissioners recommend 
(1.) That the casting of solid matters of whatever kind 
into rivers and running waters, or the placing where it 
is liable to be washed into the river by floods, bo abso¬ 
lutely prohibited under adequate penalties. (2.) That 
the discharge of polluting liquids, which transgress cer¬ 
tain limits, into any river or stream be prohibited under 
adequate penalties, a reasonable time being allowed for 
the execution of the necessary works for purification. (3.) 
That all rivers and streams in England be placed under 
the superintendence of a central authority or board, to 
be composed of not more than three persons, who shall 
be duly qualified to deal with all questions connected 
with the pollution of water and with water supply. (4.) 
That power be given to this board to inspect manufac¬ 
tories, reservoirs, sewerage, and other similar works; 
and to cause to be constructed, at the expense of the 
owners of the same, whether corporate or private, any 
necessary purifying apparatus, in case the said owners 
neglect or refuse to provide such apparatus for them¬ 
selves. (5.) That, subject to proper regulations to pre¬ 
vent abuse, additional powers be given to corporations, 
local boards, manufacturers and others, upon compensa¬ 
tion being made, to take land compulsorily, under “pro¬ 
visional order,” for the p impose of cleansing sewage or 
other foul liquids. (6.) That it be the duty of the cen¬ 
tral board to exercise a surveillance over both the quality 
and quantity of the water supply of towns. (7.) That 
it be the duty of this central board to investigate all 
schemes for water supply; and also all proposals for 
public w r orks connected with river conservancy. 
It is also recommended that the following liquids 
should bo deemed polluting and inadmissible into any 
stream :— 
(a.) Any liquid containing, in suspension , more than 3 
parts by weight of dry mineral matter, or 1 part by 
weight of dry organic matter in 100,000 parts by weight 
of the liquid. 
(5.) Any liquid containing, in solution, more than 2 
parts by weight of organic carbon, or -3 part by weight 
of organic nitrogen, in 100,000 parts by weight. 
(c.) Any liquid which shall exhibit by daylight a dis¬ 
tinct colour when a stratum of it one inch deep is placed 
in a white porcelain or earthenware vessel. 
(cl.) Any liquid which contains, in solution , in 100,000 
parts by weight, more than 2 parts by w r eight of any 
metal except calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. 
(<?.) Any liquid which, in 100,000 parts by weight, 
contains, whether in solution or suspension , in chemical 
combination or otherwise, more than ’05 part by weight 
of metallic arsenic. 
(/.) Any liquid which, after acidification with sul¬ 
phuric acid, contains, in 100,000 parts by weight, more 
than 1 part by weight of free chlorine. 
(g.) Any liquid which contains, in 100,000 parts by 
weight, more than 1 part by weight of sulphur, in the 
condition either of sulphuretted hydrogen or of a soluble 
sulphuret. 
