11
REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
5. Types of filters.—Slow sand filters continued to function indifferently at
Cocanada, Ellore, Kurnool, Madras and Salem. At Berhampur and Vizagapatam
they did well during the year. At Periyakulam they were out of action.
The mechanical filter at Chidambaram yielded variable results, but on the
whole a passable water. Deterioration in transit was noticed on both occasions.
As already remarked, the mechanical filter at Erode yielded a poor supply owing
probably to defective working. The mechanical filter at Masulipatam was doing
fairly well at both examinations.
The infiltration galleries functioned as usual, well during dry weather and
indifferently during the flood season.
6. Position of the Institute as regards advice on water.— The system, referred
to in page 8 of last year's report, of sending general reports to the local bodies and
special reports to the Director of Public Health and the Sanitary Engineer, was
continued and found to work well.
7.
Special samples.—A list of samples other than the routine samples from
the supplies mentioned in Table XIV is given in Table XV. The only one that
calls for comment is the systematic examination of water samples from the
Tungabhadra. The water of this river is subject to heavy pollution and is
very muddy during the flood season and for a long time thereafter. The suspended
matter is so fine and the total amount so great that slow sand filtration is not
suitable for this water. Preliminary alum treatment with sedimentation followed
by rapid filtration was found to be suitable under laboratory conditions.
8. Investigations carried out by the Senior Bacteriological Assistant.—(a) In
connexion with the investigation of the water-supply to the Sembiyam and Tiru
-vallūr Unions, Mr. Raghavachari, the Senior Bacteriological Assistant, was
deputed to accompany the Deputy Sanitary Engineer at the latter's request to
inspect the site, make field tests and obtain samples.
(b) In connexion with the survey of the water-supplies of the Presidency
referred to in page 9 of last year's report, Mr. Raghavachari visited the supplies
to the Bezwada Municipality, Bezwada Railway Station, Samalkota Railway
Station, Cocanada and Masulipatam Municipalities.
It was not possible to visit more places because of the extra work entailed
by the starting of the experiments at Kilpauk.
(E) FOODSTUFFS AND MISCELLANEOUS.
1. The Madras Food Adulteration Act of 1918 has not yet come into force,
so, there has not been any regular submission of samples for analysis. Most of
the samples of foodstuffs analysed were hospital tenders. A few were from
private sources.
2. A list of samples examined is given in Table XVI.
3. Fifty-six samples of imported sago flour were examined for the Customs.
Only one sample was found not to be sago flour.
4. Imitation tea.—A preparation of tea, which is said to find extensive sale in
the Presidency, was analysed at the request of the Director of Public Health,
Madras, and was found to contain no tea leaf at all. It appeared to be only
black gram husk. Tea companies demand the fixing of a standard for tea to
prevent the sale of adulterated teas. The standard adopted by the Bengal
Government is recommended.
5. Bread.—Of the sixty samples of bread analysed, a high percentage (41
per cent) still gave, as was the case last year, an acidity figure somewhat in excess
of the standard laid down in the Surgeon-General's circular.
6. The Chemical Section continued to help other sections in the preparation
and standardization of various solutions. Work of a bio-chemical nature such as
determination of urea, sugar, albumen, globulin, etc., in pathological fluids,
included in Table XII was done in this section.