KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY,
7th December 1909.
F. MAITLAND GIBSON, M. B., B.Sc.,
Director
188
SAMPLE X.—OLD OoTY CISTERN.
C o l o n y n u m b e r .
L a c t o s e .
S a c c h a r o s e .
D u l o i t e .
Ad o n i t e .
I n u l i n .
V o g e s a n d P r o s k .
I n d o l .
Mo t i l i t y .
Gr o u p .
Bacillus.
Group and
remarks.
(a) Total colonies per cc. on agar at 37°–Cannot
be counted.
(b) Bile salt lactose, medium.
+
– 1 + + + – + – – IV B. Lactis ærogenes.. Group I, 2.
2 + + – + – – – – IV B. Gaso Formans . . „ II, n i l .
1 tube 20 cc. of water taken.. .. .. 1 .. 3 + + – + – – – – IV
Do.
.. ,, III, n i l .
2 tubes 10 c
c
„
..
..
2
. . 4 + + – + – + – – IV B. Lactis ærogenes.. „ I V , 8 .
3 „ 5 cc.
,, . .
3
. . 5 + + – + – –– – IV B. Gaso Formans.
3 ,, 1 cc. ..
2
1 6 + + – + – – –– – IV
Do.
. .
3 „·1 cc,,
.. ..
..
. . 3 7 + + – + – –– – IV
Do.
.. Class 1, n i l .
3 „ · 01 cc, , .. .. ..
. .
3 8 + + – + – – – – IV
Do.
. . ,, II,2.
9 + – – – – – – + I B. 7 ..
, ,
I I I ,
n i l ,
(c) Fœcal bacilli in1 cc. and upwards.
1 0 + – – – – – – + I B. 7
.. Undetermined 8.
REPORT.
The analyses of the samples taken this quarter show very conflicting results. This is not the first time that
strange variations have been noted in the quality of the water from the various reservoirs, and the fact that these
variations from the desirable have been found in samples taken from all the reservoirs in turn, is not a little
puzzling.
On the present occasion, the waters from the Dodabetta Upper reservoir and. from the Tiger Hill reservoir
head the list in regard to quality, and there is really nothing to take exception to in them. Next in order, out
very much inferior, comes the water of Dodabetta Lower Reservoir, and along with it may be classed the water
from the Old Ooty cistern. These two waters contain twenty times as many fœcal germs as the two former and
a countless number of other micro–organisms. Considering that the gathering grounds of the three reservoirs
concerned are so similar in character and preservation these differences are extraordinary. In the water of the
Kodappamund Reservoir there are even more germs of animal origin, but much fewer organisms of other kinds.
A striking feature revealed by the results this quarter is the badness of the pipe line waters. This is quite
a new state of affairs as with one not very marked exception in March of this year, the water from the pipe lines
has been as good and often very much better than the water of the reservoirs. The contrast on this occasion is
very striking in the case of the Tiger Hill water. Here we find 200 times as many fœcal germs and six times
as many other micro–organisms in the pipe water as were found in the reservoir water. Has there been any
local or temporary cause that could account for this? The water from the Dodabetta pipe line is just as bad;
but the reservoir water being worse, the contrast is not so striking.
Considered from the chemical point of view these waters are all very similar and excellent.
In view of its past history the water from the Marlimund Reservoir has been considered separately on this
occasion. Although the results are not so bad as those shown last quarter, the water still shows signs of exte
n – s i v e p o l l u t i o n , b u t t h i s i s n o t s o r e c e n t a n d t h e r e f o r e n o t s o d a n g e r o u s a s w h a t w a s n o t e d l a s t t i m e . T h e s u r f a c e
water is definitely the worse containing a very large number of saprophytic germs and ten fœcal organisms to
the cc. In both respects the water from the bottom of the reservoir is better. The water in the reservoir being
what it is, it is really astonishing to get such results from the water of the pipe line. This sample is by far the
purest of any examined on this occasion. On previous examinations passage through this pipe line has been
shown to produce an extraordinary improvement in the water, or one would most certainly say that there was
something erroneous in the present results.
Chemically this water is much inferior to any of the others. The alburninoid nitrogen is much higher and
its ratio to absorbed oxygen points to orgainic matter of animal origin being present.