IX. 
OX FISH-FATALITY IX THE RIVER COLXE AT WATFORD. 
By Alfred T. Brett, M.D. 
Bead at Watford , 8th May , 1888. 
Abridged. 
Af enquiry as to the cause of fish-fatality in our rivers must be of 
some importance, as the water is used for culinary and even drink¬ 
ing purposes, and if the fish are poisoned, it is our duty to endeavour 
to discover what the poisons are. Lawsuits, also, are frequently 
taking place as to the pollution of rivers and the destruction of fish. 
I will first show that the fatality exists. In a letter to me, Mr. 
A. P. Blathwayt, of Erogmore House, Watford, says:—“In July, 
1887, dead fish were found floating in the water which passes 
through my grounds; amongst them were four trout of from 2 lbs. 
to lbs. each. They had the appearance of having been dead for 
some time. On one morning in July I noticed a few small fish 
swimming on the surface of the water, and every now and then 
raising their heads above it as if to obtain air. In the afternoon I 
found that the fish were being poisoned by hundreds. As far as 
one could see there were fish of all sizes struggling for existence. 
I took three samples of the water, two by my own grounds and one 
from the stream running past Mrs. Sedgwick’s brewery into the 
river, and submitted them to Prof. Attfield for analysis. I visit 
the river daily and have never seen a single dead fish from that day. 
I think that poison must have been thrown into the river.” 
Mr. J. G. Smith, of Hamper Mill, Watford, tells me that more 
than twenty years ago his foreman saw a shoal of fish swimming 
rapidly down the river as if in terror of their lives. Some fish 
j umped out of the water and others ran their heads into the sandy 
bank as if to avoid some enemy. The following day the bottom of 
the river was covered with dead fish. I have also been told by Mr. 
Martin, of Hamper Mill, that sometimes fish are found dead there 
in hundreds; and I have been shown a large basket full of fish, 
about two bushels, said to have been poisoned in the Colne. They 
were healthy-looking, plump, and bright, and some were of large 
size. Lately many fish have been found dead at the tumbling-bay. 
I think, therefore, that it cannot be disputed that fish are occa¬ 
sionally found dead in our river in such quantities in a short time 
that the idea of poisoning is at once suggested rather than that the 
fish die of ordinary disease or by natural decay. 
In investigating the cause of the fish-fatality it may be well first 
to enquire what manufactures or processes carried on on the banks 
of our river might act injuriously on the water. Erom above down¬ 
wards we have (1) Messrs. Sedgwick’s brewery; (2) Mrs. Urlwin’s 
fellmongers’ yard; (3) the Watford Elour Mill; (4) the Gas Works; 
(5) Tidcombe’s (now Rogers’) iron-foundry; (6) the Steam Laundry; 
and (7) the Sewage Earm. 
Although the Colne receives a large accession of water from 
