4
REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
sampled as noted in Table VI which briefly
records the results. The results for jails
and railway stations are not included in this
table this year as they are not of sufficient
importance to warrant their publication. The
following protected water-supplies call for
special mention on account of the unsatis
-
factory nature of the supply. While the
number thus pilloried is definitely less than
last year, several hardy annuals are still
included, as can be seen from the number of
those starred which indicates that deficien
-
cies have been frequently commented on in
the past.
(a) Municipal Supplies.
* Adoni .—The water-supply continues to
be unsatisfactory. The filters do not appear
to be functioning properly. Chlorination
was more efficiently done than before, but
its beneficial effect was lost in distribution.
Erode.—The mechanical filter plant was
not worked efficiently this year and chlorina
-
tion was unsatisfactory.
Palacole.— The new mechanical filter plant
yielded a filtrate which fell short of the
standard expected. Systematic chlorination
was therefore recommended. This was con-
sidered particularly necessary on account of
the heavy and incessant pollution (from human
sources) of the canal from which the water is
drawn.
* Periyakulam.—There
has been no
change in the conditions prevailing at these
water works, which were adversely comment-
ed upon in my last report (1931). The slow
sand filters appear to function at best only
as strainers, for they clog in less than 10 days
after starting.
Trichinopoly. —Systematic and continuous
chlorination which had been carried out
efficiently since 1924 was restricted to 4
hours a day (8 p.m. to 12 midnight) from
24th May 1932, gallery water being pumped
without chlorination into the mains during
the rest of the day. At the instance of the
Municipal Health Officer a special examina
-
tion of the samples was made, and the munici
-
pality was advised to revert to the old
practice. In September it was found. that
as a result of the reversion the supply had
resumed its normal good quality.
(b) Jail Supplies.
Systematic and efficient chlorination was
in vogue in all the jails. The need for the
provision of a proper pump to the well in
Calicut Sub-Jail was again urged, and it is
receiving the attention of the Jail Depart
-
ment.
(c) Railway Supplies.
Madras and Southern Mahratta Rail
-
way—* Gudur, Kalahasti, * Mangalagiri,
* Ongole, Tiruvallur .—The water continued
to be of poor quality and the necessity for
efficient and systematic chlorination was
repeatedly urged. * Dhronachellam, Hospet,
* Narasaraopet and * Tiruttani .—Chlorination
as practised was found to be defective. More
frequent field tests were advised as being
essential to ensure satisfactory results.
* Kadpadi.— The increase in solids and
chlorides noticed during the last 2 years, was
probably due to adventitious pollution from
the large manure heaps in the wet lands
around the well—these are now being acquir
-
ed by the railway.
South Indian Railway—* Arni Road,
* Chingleput,* Kumbakonam and * Tiruvan
-
namalai.—The water continued to be very
unsatisfactory. The railway authorities are
believed to be making arrangements for
sinking a new well for Chingleput, and for
chlorinating the supply at Kumbakonam.
As regards Tiruvannamalai, a recommenda
-
tion was made to supply water conveyed in
railway waggons from Tirukkoyilur railway
station. Tanjore.— The remarks in the last
annual report still hold good. The desir
-
ability of installing a chloronome plant at this
important junction was pointed out, Poda
-
nur.—Chlorination as practised was found to
be defective.
Bengal-Nagpur Railway—Simhachellam
and Waltair.—Chlorination was inefficient
at both these stations. More efficient control
was recommended.
( d ) O t h e r S u p p l i e s .
At the instance of the Sanitary Engineer
to Government, samples were drawn from
the partially protected supplies of 7 union
panchayats. All except one were found to
be of poor quality. Systematic chlorination
will be necessary.
4. The working of various types of
filters—(a) Slow Sand filters.—The filters
at Adoni, Kurnool, Periyakulam and Salem
yielded unsatisfactory results. The other
slow sand filters did well.
(b) Mechanical filters.— Those
at
Erode, Palacole and Masulipatam did not
function efficiently. In the other places
using mechanical filters good results were
obtained and in particular the plants at
Mettur and Erode Railway Station were very
efficient.
(c) Infiltration galleries.— The remarks
in last year's annual report still hold good.
INVESTIGATIONS OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTE.
1. In April 1932, Dr. K. V. Venkata
-
raman. visited Villupuram Taluk in connex
-
ion with an unknown disease reported to
produce glandular swellings and fatal cellu
-
litis. No cases were found.