REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
scanty and unsatisfactory and the necessity for tapping a new source was
again urged. Systematic chlorination of the other three railway station
supplies referred to above was advocated.
In this connexion, it appears necessary to invite the attention of
Government to the advisability of adding, to the list of railway stations
now being examined, several important railway junctions and other
stations where there is an incessant influx of passengers throughout the
y e a r ; a l i s t o f t h e s e wa s f u r n i s h e d a s a n e n c l o s u r e t o t h i s o f f i c e l e t t e r
R.C. No. 2840-12 B, dated 19th December 1917, which elicited G.O. No. 1006
L., dated 3rd August 1918. This order restricted the number of railway
stations in the first instance to 17 (vide appendix to the Government
Order quoted). As a result of the experience gained during the six years
during which the present scheme of periodical examinations has been in
force, it may be stated that the time has come when the water-supply to
other important stations should, in the interests of public health, be
brought under scrutiny. Government will, therefore, be pleased to
consider this question.
(iv) COMMITTEE ON WATER FILTRATION.
(1) Mr. Herbert Hawley, M.Sc., F.I.C., Public Analyst, was appointed
a member of the Committee in G.O. No. 1932, P.H., dated 18th December
1924. Mr. J. W. Madeley ceased to be a member, on his ceasing to be the
Special Engineer of the Corporation of Madras.
(2) Madras City water-supply.— The final report of the Committee
dealing with the points raised by Mr. Madeley in his second note, was
submitted to Government on 13th January 1924. This report together With
the Committee's first report was referred to Lieut.-Col. W. W. Clemesha,
C.I.E., I. M. S (Retd.), Consultant in Tropical Sanitation, London, who,
during his visit to Madras, discussed the question with the Director and
Mr T. N. S. Raghavachari before giving his opinion. Copies of his report
were obtained through the courtesy of the Commissioner of the Madras
Corporation for the use of the members. Col. Clemesha's report is in
perfect agreement with the Committee's findings in all essentials although
certain statements made by him appear to require substantiation.
(3) Guindy Experimental Installation.— As recommended by the
Committee, Government sanctioned in G.O. No. 116 W., dated 24th
January 1925, the retention of the Experimental Filter Installation at
Guindy on a permanent basis. The plant has been of considerable
educative value in addition to offering a large scope for original research.
The Committee have come to the conclusion that all future experimenta
-
tion shall have for its main object the prompt solution of the various
difficulties met with in water-works practice in the mufassal, regard being
had, however, to the fact that special problems arising out of intrinsic
differences in the composition of the water in any place shall be dealt
with on the spot whenever possible by experiments carried out under the
supervision of the Committee. The Experimental Installation will, as
usual, continue to function as an instructional centre for water-works
supervisors and students of public health and hygiene.
(4) Experimental research work .—During the year under review,
different methods of creating an artificial film in sand filters have been
thoroughly investigated. Details of these experiments and the inferences
to be drawn therefrom have been tabulated in appendices Nos. II and
II (a ).
Proposals have been made for carrying out experiments on various
patterns of trickling filters designed to deal efficiently with waters loaded
with organic impurities by means of thorough aeration. Arrangements
have also been made for carrying out experiments on double filtration on
the combined rapid mechanical and slow sand filtration principle, the
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