15
REPORT.
The sample taken from the hospital well shows faecal bacilli in .01 cc. The bacilli are
extremely objectionable and show signs of recent and dangerous pollution.
Chemical analysis of this well also supports this statement for the ammonias are extremely
highs, oxygen absorption and nitrates also being very much above normal. Nitrites are also
present. The hospital well should not be under any consideration used for drinking purposes.
The sample taken from the quarantine well shows faecal organisms in 01 cc. The
. organisms present are not however extremely objectionable in themselves, but are very much
too numerous.
Chemically the water is hard and contains large amount of chlorides and enormous quantity
of nitrates showing that it is sunk in a very highly contaminated or saline soil.
The sample taken from the kitchen shows foetal organisms in 01 cc. and those present are
much too numerous but not in themselves highly objectionable.
The chemical analysis of this water shows that it is full of salt, 37 of hardness, of which
314 are magnesium salt. Chlorine is over 8 parts per 100,000 and nitric nitrogen over 21 parts
per 100,000, This water is capable of giving diarrhoea to anybody who is unaccustomed to
drink it, on account of the amount of magnesium and for the saline constitute.
The water-supply of Yellore jail as a whole is extremely bad. It is difficult to imagine 'a
worse water than that of the hospital well and both the others are of very doubtful quality.
The Municipal supply on the other hand is a very excellent one and contains no foecal organisms
in 5 0 cc. I recommend that the jail be supplied from this source.
INSPECTION REPORT.
Whilst in Vellore on inspection work I inspected the wells in the Vellore Central Jail
as the analeses of these waters made in April last were of very considerable interest. The
samples of the water taken from the quarantine and kitchen wells show that both were highly
polluted, Both contained fœcal organisms in less than .1 cc. though the organisms isolated
were not very objectionable in themselves. From inspection I consider it more likely that this
contamination is due to dust than to percolation of surface water. Chemically the quarantine
well water (which is that mostly used for drinking purposes) is not good as the enclosed
analyses show ; its chief defect lies in its containing large quantities of saline matter. There
permanent hardness of 140, temporary hardness of 23 parts per 100,000. The chlorine is
more than eight parts and nitric nitrogen more than 2.25 per 100,000. The high chlorine and
nitrogen figures suggest considerable pollution of old standing. The ammonia and oxygen
absorptions figures also bear this conclusion out,
The kitchen well water is much better chemically. All the saline constituents are less than
chose in the quarantine well water.
The results obtained from the analyses of the hospital well water showed that it was so
polluted and that the pollution was of such a dangerous and recent character that a telegram
was immediately despatched recommending the disuse of this water for drinking purposes, A
glances at the bacteriological and chemical analyses enclosed shows that extremely undesirable
organisms are present in large numbers and that the elements in the chemical analysis indicative
o f
recent and dangerous pollution are extremely great—ride the ammoniacal nitrogen, the
albuminoid nitrogen and the oxygen absorption figures.
On inspecting the locality of this well the cause for this pollution is apparent. A night
latrine attached to one of the wards of the hospital is swilled out in the morning and a fair
proportions of the washings of the latrine is brushed out on the steps and sinks directly into the
grounds. Also a latrine which is situated quite close to the well has an arrangement whereby
washing water will run down the pipe and soak into the ground as the tank to which it was
connected is now filled up. Although at the time of my inspection this arrangement did not
seem to have been much used recently, it would certainly cause pollution of the well were water
the latrine allowed to flow away by this channel,
I therefore have the following recommendations to make
(1) That the pipe be removed from the latrine.
(2) That all washings from the night latrine be prevented from soaking into the ground,
they being caught in an iron receptacle.
(3) Great care should be exercised when cleaning the latrine to prevent all night-soil
from falling on to the ground as both latrines are very dangerously near the well.
(4) That a certain amount of water be pumped out from the well every day.
(5)
(5) That, provided no further pollution of ground takes place, the quality of the water-
ill probably improve greatle after the rains. The water should not be taken into use until.
further analyses show it to be satisfactore in quality.