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1 2 3

'■f

A BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

—OF THE—

MONTREAL WATER SUPPLY DURING THE PERIOD FROM
NOVEMBER, 1890, TO NOVEMBER, 1891.

WYATT JOHNSTON, M.D.,

Lecturer in Bacteriology, McGill University ; Bacteriologist to the Quebec Provincial

Board of Healtli.

{Reprinted from the Montreal Medical Journal, August, 1894.)

aMmmma^tfltK

■

A BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE MONTREAL
WATER SUPPLY DURING THE PERIOD FROM
NOVEMBER, 1890, TO NOVEMBER, 1891.*

By Wyatt Johnston, M.D.

Lecturer in Baoteriology McGill University ; Bacteriologist to the Quebec Provincial

Board of Health.

The following account of a biological analysis, made three
years ago, has been abridged from my report addressed at the
time to Mr. B. D. McConnell, then Superintendent of the
Montreal Water Works, who took a deep interest in the inves-
tigation. Chemical analyses were made at the same time by
Prof. R. F. Ruttan and Prof. Phister.

PLAN OF INV3STIGATI0N,

I. Regular monthy examinations of samples of water from
the following four localities :

1. The lower reservoir.

2. The settling basin.

3- A point near the intake of the St. Cunegonde Water

Supply.
4. A point in the middle of the River St. Lawrence south
of Nun's Island.
These examinations were made at the express order of the
Water Committee with a view of determining whether the water

* Published by permisaion of the Water Committeo of the Montreal City Council.

■r

obtained from localities 3 and 4 would be preferable to that
furnished by the present intake on the north shore of the St.
Lawrence, just above the Lachine Rapids.

In addition, I found it necessary to make :

II. Examination of tap water obtained from various points
within the city, from the upper reservior, and from the aqueduct,

Fig. 1.

to see whether evidences of local contamination existed and to
trace the effect of temperature, rainfall and water level.

in. Examination of the water of the St. Lawrence and
Ottawa rivers at points above Montreal, to see whether the
influence of the sewage from the towns along their banks was
perceptible.

IV. Examination of surface waters from other parts of
Canada, and especially from uninhabited districts.

. '

METHODS.

A large proportion of the work consisted in the estimation of
the nunaber of bacteria present. (Quantative bacterial analysis.)
The nature of the bacteria was also studied, as far as the time
limits of the analj^sis permitted. Cultures, for quantitative
work, were for the most part made in slightly alkaline, 10
p.c. beef peptone gelatine, made after Loeffler's formula, and
grown at 20®C. The samples were taken 10 to 20 feet
below the surface, by means of an apparatus shown in
figure 1, and were plated in flat glass vials. The cultures
were, as a rule, made within a few minutes of the time of taking
the samples, and in a few instances, when about an hour or two
intervened, the samples were kept in an ice box.

The sediments were all examined microscopically, and during
four months the microscopical organisms present were estimated
quantitatively by the Sedgwick-Rafter method.

SOURCE OP SUPPLY.

X y Before giving the details of the analysis, it might be well, in

Y order to make the report intelligible to those who are not

I familiar with the local conditions of the Montreal water supply,

to briefly mention the character of the water, and the topography

of the district from whence it is obtained.

Although taken from the north shore of the St, Lawrence
river, the Montreal water supply is derived, during the greater
part of the year, from the Ottawa, which enters the St. Law-
rence from the north at a point about 20 miles above the intake,
and forms a belt of dark water close to the shore, the border
between this water and the clear green of the St. Lawrence
proper being very distinct, though varying in position with
changes in the direction and force of the wind and the rela-
tive level of the water in the two rivers. During the winter
owing apparently to an ice-jam, the Ottawa passes to the north
of the island of Montreal, so that the Montreal supply during
the months of January, February and March consists of nearly
pure St. Lawrence water.

Ottawa River.
The Ottawa river drains an area of over 60,000 square miles

(rather less than the Danube), most of which is entirely unin-
habited. Its discharge has been estimated at 60,000 cubic feet
per second. Its average width for the 100 miles above Mont-
real is somewhat over half a mile. At 25 miles above the city
it expands into the lake of Two Mountains, varying from 2 to
4 miles in width, and 4 miles above the intake, into Lake St.
Louis, 4 to 7 miles wide. There are rapids and falls GO and
30 miles above Montreal. At many points between Ottawa
and Montreal navigation is impeded by enormous sawdust beds
from the Ottawa saw mills.

The population along its course, according to the census of
1891, is about 300,000, or 6 per square mile, of which about
100,000 is comprised in cities or towns of over 1,000 inhabi-
tants, the remainder being rural. The chief centres of popula-
tion and their distances above the Montreal intake are as
follows :

Pembroke 4,401 " 220 Miles.

Renfrew 2,011 1»<)

Perth H.IHO IHO

Smith's Falls :J,H<W 17.5

Aylmer 1,!H5 140

Ottawa (and Hull) 55,421) 125

Buckingham 2,239 1(K)

Hawkesbury 2,042 60

liachute 1,751 SO

St. Anne 1,.tOO 20

Laehine ;j,107 4

The Ottawa water is dark, and contains a large amount of
peaty pigment, giving the water, when in a deep column, a tint
suggesting that of porter. Apart from this it is stated by Prof.
Ruttan to contain almost no organic matter. It is much softer
than the St. Lawrence water.

St. Lawrence River. — The St. Lawrence drains an area of
510,000 square miles (half as much as the Mssissippi). Its
discharge, before receiving the Ottawa, has been estimated at
500,000 cubic feet per second. Apart from the cities and
towns, situated upon the Great Lakes or on streams draining
into them, the total population of the towns and villages of over
1,000, situated upon the river proper, amounts to about 55,000,
of which Kingston (20,000) is really in Lake Ontario. The

20,000

185 Miles

;i,m)

150

4,4IX)

4!«

2,})20

120

11,(S(>2

120

0,085

a,:iin

1,590

populations and distances above the intake at Montreal are as
follows : ■

Kingston

(iananoiiue . . . ,

*ClnytoM

*I'resc()tt

*OK<l«nHhurg

Cornwall

*Valleyfleld

•Beiiuharnois

Towns marked * are on the south side of ihe river.

The river averages fully one to two miles in breadth during

the whole of its course, and expands into Lake St. Louis, 4 to

7 miles wide, just above the intake, and into Lake St. Francis,

8 miles wide, 3-3 miles above. There are rapids at points 20,
25, 30, 85, and 80 miles above the intake.

The St. Lawrence water is clear and light green in colour,
and is fairly hard.*

In both these rivers the temperature falls to the freezing
point in winter, even at points near the bed of the stream.
I. Monthly Examination of Water Supply.

Microscopical AnalysiB. — The method employed was, at
first, that of simply allowing the sediment to settle in a
conical glass, and by means of a pipette placing a little of
it under a microscope. This gives a general idea of the con-
stituents of the sediment, but affords no information as to
the quantity in which the different organisms are present.
In the Sedgwick-Rafter method (which unfortunately only
became known to me after the analysis was completed) a given

* The following table compiled from Dr. Huttar.'s analyses shows the average
ohemical composition of Ottawa and St. Lawrence water ((juantities in part per
million) :

Color.
Lovibond scale.

Solids.

Nitrogenous
Matter.

Oxygen
oon-

31
J|

'^
1.1

66
102

c
o

a
-^

So'

on 80''F.

3.7
05

1.2

Ottawa.

St. Lawrence.

17
0.1

5.4
1.0

04
0.47

52
142

fi9

28
74

0.02
Oi

(1.12
0.09

0. '«
O.09

1 5
3.5

quantity of the water, usually 500 cc, is filtered through sand
and the sand with the organisms retained in it shaken up with
a definite quantity of distilled water, 1 cc. of this is then placed
in a glass cell, leaving a superficial area of 1,000 square milli-
metres and a depth of 1 millimetre, fiy examining under a
microscope, into the eye piece of which a diaphragm has been
fitted covering exactly 1 square mm. with the objective
employed, each microscopic field represents a fixed unit of
measurement with reference to the original water, and the
number of each different organism per cc. can be calculated
from the average number present in each field. As a rule the
genera only are determined. This method is not applicable for
determining the number or character of the bacteria.

During the period from March to November. 1891, the
presence of the following organisms was noted. The numbers
represent the number of different genera found in one sample
and not of individual organisms per cc. :

Month 1891.

Sample from :

Reservoir

Settling Basin.
St. Cunegonde.
St. Lawrence . .

Mar.

Aprl.

May.

June.

July.

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

1«

Nov.

* Xot e.stimated.
Of these, the following genera were the most frequent :

UiATOMACKi*;. — Acnanthea, Amphora, Asterionella, Vyclotella,
Diaioma, Encyonema, Epithemia, Frayilaria, Gomphonema,
Mlosira, Navicida, Nitzschia, Pleurosigma, Stauroneis, Surirella,
Stepfianixliscus, Syiiedra, Tabellaria.

Cyanophyce^;.— .4 nafetcna, Oscillaria.

Other Xha.'E.—Chara, Ciadophorti, Ccelosphcerium, Conferva, Cos-
murium, Palmella, Pleurococcus, Pediaatrum, Vaucheria, Volvox,
Penluin, Protococcus, Scenedeamus, Tetraapora, Zygogoniutn.

Futioi.—Crenothrix.

Hhizopod A. —Actinocyclua, Actinophrya, Amitba, Gi'omia,

lypUHOHi \.—Buraaria, Canheaium, Dinobryon, Epiafylia, Euglena,
Jleferoiiema, Monaa, Paramcecium, Traclieloctrca, TracI\elomonaa-
Vorticella.

SyosaiAtii A—Sponge apiculea.

VERMEii.—Anguileula, Monoatylua, Rotifer, Stylonychia. Stentor.

Crustacea.— .4iona, Cyclopa, JJaphnia, (

Ab I had not been able to employ the quantitative method
daring the year of analysis, I give the results obtained, pe** c.c,
from tap water during the period from April 10th to June 4th,
1892, in the following table :

Date of Gxainination.
Number of Huinple. . .

DiATOMACEiB.

Acnanthes

Amphora

Asterionella

Cocconeis

Cyclotella

Cymbella

Diatoma

Encyonema

Fragilaria

Gomphonema. . .
Grammatophora

Melosira

Navicula

Nitzschia

Surirella

Synedra

Tabellaria

Algae.

Chlorococcus. . . .
Protococcus . . . .
Zoospores

Infusoria.

Monas

Miscellaneous.

Starch grains . . .

April :«).
U2

^f
2

2:i
u
u

May (i.

•M\

pr.

pr,

24
9
4

4
8

pr.

2.6

May 15.

pr.
2

pr.

'li
1

pr.

May 28,

Uij

12
1

pr.
2
1
2

22
U

pr.

Juno 4.

322

5
300

4.5

I have omitted from tlie table the following genera which, though
occasionally seen, were .lever present in an ar^ount equal to 0.5 per c.c. :
—Coacinodiaeua, Pleuruaigma, Stanroneia, Stephanodiacua, Oacil-
laria, Ai'throdeamua, Cladaphora, Cteloap/uerium, Conferva, Pediaa-
trum, Pleurococcua, Beggiota, Amoeba, Cercomonaa, Trachelomonaa,
Spongilla and Cyclopa.

The organisms were more numeroas in the warm than in the
colder months. The higher animal foi'ms being only met with
during the sammer.

Pollen grains (most commonly from the pine) and vegetable

fibres were usually present in traces, and were most constant in
the samples from the reservoir.

From the above results it will be seen that while the waters
contain small amounts of the non-bacterial organisms common
to all surface water, these were never found in sufficient
quantity to affect the odor, taste, or hygienic (juality of the
water. Of the organisms, the diatoms Melosira and Asterionella
were the only ones occurring constantly in any appreciabla
quantity.

The green organism (Anaboena) which abounds in the
water of Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte during the
summer, was scarcely detected at Montreal, though owing
to the infrequency of the periods of collecting samples it
may have been missed. Though present in the reservoir during
August and September very little appeared to enter the sup-
ply pipes.

The results of examination of sediments, on the whole, were
decidedly satisfactory from a hygienic point of view.

Starch Grains. — The only anomalous features presented by
the sediments was the constant occurrence of starch grains in
the sediment of most of the samples. These I first noticed in
the May samples, they being present in the water from the
roGervoir, settling basin and St. Cunegonde, but not in that
from the St. Lawrence.

These grains were usually round or slightly ovM, or in some
casea presenfed blunted angles. They measured 12 to 30
microns in diameter, stained blue with iodine solution and
polarized with a central cross. Some showed a central fissure
in the form of a slit or cross, and often lamination could be
distinctly made out.

I was at first disposed to regard them as an accidental con-
tamination, due to the entrance of dust into the samples, but
this was shown not to be case by the fact that upon filtering
water directly from the tap through glass wool, compressed into
a small strainer, the starch was invariably detected, while the
materials employed as well as the glass-ware used, showed no
signs of it.

Upon consulting the standard works on water analysis, I was
unable to find an) reference to the presence of starch in water
otherwise than as a consequence of contamination by sewage
proper, kitchen refuse, or the waste of industrial establishments.
On the other hand, all the other results of my analysis were
strongly opposed to the theory of contamination of the water.

Being myself unable to identify the grains satisfactorily with
any of the known staiohes, I consulted Prof. D. P. Penhallow,
of McGill University, who examined them carefully and called
my attention to the fact that they corresponded in size and
shape and structure to corn starch grains, and were much
larger than any of the starch grains found in aquatic plants.

He stated that, in his opinion, the only starch bearing aquatic
plants at all likely to lead to dissemination of starch ^irains in
the water were the yellow and white water lillies {Nymphoea
and Nuphar) the starch grains of which, however, never ex-
ceeded 13 microns in diameter, and were readily distinguished,
by their form and arrangement, from the granules under con-
sideration.

If the grains were corn starch then they must have come
from some starch factory or grist mill.

There were, however, no starch factories or large milling
industries along the banks of the Ottawa, and though some
starch factories are situated upon the St. Lawrence, none of the
grains had been found by me in that water.

Upon estimating the number of starch grains per cc, I
obtained the following results, for different seasons of the year,
from samples of the water which happened to have been
preserved :

Nov.

Month.

Mar.

Aprl.

(May.

.June.

July.

AUR.

Sept.

Oct.

Sample.

Reservoir

pr.

«■

Settling HaHiii.

'^ «

-H-

pr.

*■

St. CuneKOiide.

0.8

St. Lawrence . .

■H-

* Not exanihied.

The largest amount of starch ever found in any sample was
7 granules per c.c, in a stagnant rusty sample, obtained from a
street hydrant.

The presence of the starch in the Ottawa water and its
absence from the St. Lawrence, was a matter which completely
puzzled me. Examination of the starch granules of the sweet

Fig, 2— Starch grains from water.

Fig. 3— Starch from white pine bark.

Fig. 4— Starch from white pine bark
after soaking in water.

Fig. 5— Corn starch.

flag root and wild rice, showed that these grair'i were altogether
too small to be thought of as a possible source.

At this point. Prof. G. P. Girdwood, of McGill University,
suggested to me the possibility that as starch is present in the

^^^*^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*^^^^^^^^BPi^ WHBIK'I "

bark of some of the coniferous trees, it might be derived from
the white pine lumber r' 'ih, as already stated, is sawn in such
large quantities as to block the Ottawa river in places with vast
beds of sawdust. Upon my examining white pine bark, I was
delighted to find not only that it contained large quantities of
starch, but that these, though somewb"*^ "''^'•*' nngular, closely
corresponded in size, shape and structure with the grains found
in the water (and closely resembled corn starch).

Upon soaking pine bark for two months in water, many of
the starch grains in it assumed the rounded outline typical of
the starch of the water sediments, whereas corn starch grains,
after the same period of maceration, became fissured and tended
readily to disintegrate upon slight pressure.

The appearance of the various grains may be better under-
stood from the accompanying illustrations, figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Starch grains similar to those of the pine were found,
though less plentifully in the bark of the cedar, hemlock and
spruce.

The following table gives the diameter in micro-millimeters of
the various starches examined :

Diameter
in microns.

Water Sediments

11.4 to 28.0
8 to 28.0

5.8 to 27.0
(i.O to 13.0

5.7 to 13.0

1.9 to 7.«

3.8 to 13.3

White Pine Bark

Corn

Sweet Flatr

Wild Rice

White Water Lily

Yellow Water Lily

There is nothing to show that the starch forms a dangerous
ingredient of the water. I have also found somewhat similar
grains under circumstances which did not show any possibility of
sawdust pollution, and unless great care is exercised one is
liable to meet with them as a result of contamination of the
glass-ware, etc., by dust.

My excuse for giving the above results at such length, is
that it does not seem to have been recognized as yet that starch

grains may be observed in water independently of sewage or
industrial pollution on the one hand, and of errors in manipulation
on the other.

Bacterial Analysis. — The opinion entertained by chemists of
the Montreal water supply, at the time when this examination
was undertaken, is fairly well expressed in Bulletin No. 15 of
the Ii.land Revenue Department at Ottawa, which in referring
to the relatively high proportion of organic matter, speaks of it
as '^ capable of sustaining and nourishing, to a much greater
degree than in most water supplies, those minute organisms
which, while in most cases harmless, are closely related toothers
known as disease germs. A water so largely impregnated with
organic matter, as that of the Ottawa, would become a very
efficient nidus for the propagation of morbific bacteria were such
organism to find an entrance to it."*

It may be stated in a general way that a [ ure water should
not habitually contain large numbers of 1 icteria. Although no
hard and fast rule can be set, Miquel's . >le fairly expresses
our present ideas upon the relation of the number of bacteria
to the purity of water ;

Exceptionally pure water contains to 10 per c.c.

Very pure " " 10 to KM)

Pure " " 100 to 1,(KK)

Mediocre " " 1,000 to 10,000

Impure
Very impure

10,000 to 100,000
100,(K)0 and over.

The number of bacteria in filtered water should not, accord-
ing to Koch, habitually exceed 100 per c.c.

I was agreeably surprised to find that the Montreal water,
instead of teeming with bacteria, was conspicuously free from
them, as compared with other bodies of running water, so
that whatever might be the nature of the organic matter
present it did not appear to be specially favourable to bacterial
growth.

The following table shows the average number of bacteria
found in some well known surface waters, most of which are

* MoGill, Bulletin No. 15, Department of Inland Revenue, Ottawa.

used as sources of drinking water,
before being distributed :

These marked * are filtered

Montreal .

St. Louis. . . .
Vienna ... .
Above Paris

Ottawa 220

St. Lawrence ;^(K)

Mississippi H0(( 5

♦Danube 2,0(»0 '

Seine :W,(K)().

*Tlianies 19, 7.t()j Above London .

Croton Aqueduct 4,28();Ne\v York

Hudson 3,(KJ.'5i Albany

Potomac ;J,774i Washington. . .

Neva 5, 77281. Fetersl)urK.

Rhone 75 Geneva

llhine 20,;«)l) LMulheim

*Main 2,0.50 Frankfort

•Spree «5,000 Above Berlin . .

Authority.

fohnston.

Currier.

Kowalsky.

Miquel.

P. Frankland.

Health Report.

Prudden.

Thos. Smith.

Poehl.

Fol.

Moers.

Rosenberg.

Frank.

Number of Bacteria found each month. — The following table
shows the average number of bacteria per c.c. found each month
in the reservoir, settling basin, St. Cunegonde and St. Law-
rence samples :

Bacteria per c.c.

Tempera-

Level of

water at

"d .

Date.

ture of

S -5

S 1>

f- a;

« «

Lachine in

3T3

rt S

.n ^

water "C.

i 0^

. 4)

a V

feet.

1)09

*1 U

December l8t,'90

4°.

11 1

313

473

265

284

January 5th, '01.

0°.

120

:«)

(51

February 2nd . . .

0°.

10-9

March 5th

12 2

185

1(54

310

577

310

April IHth

0".

13-0

171

:M7

161

260

May 4th

10". 9

i:r.o

15
13 (1

79
42

121

18!)

156

324
210

167

.Tune 2n<l

142

•July 2nd

18.8

11-5

481

197

275

August 3rd

21.0

11 5

119

101

September 7th . .

18^3

10 1

.5;^

October 1st

13.1

101

November 2.5th. .

4'.

10-5

143

1132

1883

»W

930

The following summary shows the maximum, minimum and
average number of bacteria per c.c. for each sample throughout
the year, together *h the dates upon which the maximum and

miDimum numbers occurred, and the total number of samples
examined from each source :

Number of

.samples
examined.

Source.

Pacteria perc.c.

Max.

Min.

Average.

Reservoir

286

(Nov.)

1900

(Nov.)

2260

(Nov.)

600
(Nov.)

(Feb.)

32
(Oct.)

12
(Oct.)

18
(Oct.)

67
73

Settling Basin

£>t. Cunecronde

278
316

St. Lawrence

189

281

Tbe above tables show that during the greater part of the
year the number of bacteria per c.c. of the water varies
between 100 and 200. During the early part of the summer
and in midwinter ibis number falls considerably below 100, and
during the spring and early fall it rises for a short period to
between L,000 and 2,000. These temporary elevations coincide
with a period of heavy rainfall which ushers in the winter, and
with the melting of the snow in the spring, on both of which
occasions the river level rises considerably.

The interval of one month between the taking of samples is
so great, that the temporary rise in the number of bacteria
might pass unooticed, if this sample did not happen to be taken
exactly at the time when it occurred. Suspecting that this was
the case in 1891, I made private examinations of the tap water
at intervals of one week, with the result that a rise to 1940 per
c.c. (compared with 847 per c.c. in the official sample taken a
few days before) was observed, the number falling to 117 by
the time the next official collection became due. The number
obtained in the official settling basin being 121.

It is evident that the 1,2 months covered by the analysis
comprises the early winter increases in bacteria for both 1890
and 1891, which makes the average number for the year higher
than would otherwise be the case.

This spring contamination of the water was also studied in

-lufw

~'"^I"'T ' •■^*' '' ■■'%T''^ (---r-T-

^~w-

^^ i M

f water samples.

tap water (luring April, 1892. The following table 8how8 the
variation in the number of bacteria :

Diite.

April 2

l(t

2«

Hactt'i'ia per c.c.

112

2m)

122
Mi

The two periods characterized by low numbers of bacteria
(midwinter and early fall) correspond with seasons when the
level is very low.

These relations are shown graphically in Fig. 6.

Although rainfall, when sufficient to produce a marked
rise in the water level of the rivers, was found to be associated
with an increased number of bacteria, due no doubt to the
washings of the soil, no increase was noted corresponding to
the ordinary local rainfall.

Comparison of tim': Four Samples Examined.
Reservoir. — One is struck by the marked superiority of the
reservoir water shown by its small number of bacteria, as com-
pared with the other samples. During 9 months of the 12, the
number of bacteria was below 100, while the average number
was less than one-third of the number found in the settling
basin. This, apparently, is due to the beneficial effects of sedi-
mentation, although the reservoir is not well constructed for
that process (not having separate inlet and outlet pipes), but
chiefly serves to secure a head of water with constant pressure
and to form a reserve in case of need. That the reservoir water
does not deteriorate, and that its (juality remains unim[)aived
in spite of a large accumulation of mud and slime at the botcom,
is a matter which can be readily accounted for. We know now
that the agencies .vhich produce the series of oxidative and
nitrifying changes, leading to the self purification of waters, are a
special class of organisms (nitro-bacteria) which are most
abundant in that very slime which is generally regarded with so

much suspicion by the public. To secure the proper perform-

lUOO

ieoo

leoo

lioo

2K1MI,

XIHH}

aoo

l-OO

zoo

600 —

Fig. 6-DiaKram showing the results of the monthly e

sooo

J600

IMO

izoo

of the monthly examination oi water samples.

ance of this beneficial process, by wbicb tbo nlbumenoici and
ammoniacal bodies, products of pollution, are (perbaps after
being first decomposed into more readily assimilable forms by
the agency of the water bacteria) changed itto the more stable
forms of nitrates, it is necessary that there shall be a sufficient
supply of dissolved oxygen in the water and a sufficient circu-
lation to promote oxidation and check any tendency to anaerobic
putrefaction. For this reason shallow reservoirs of 16 to 30
feet in depth are better than deeper ones.

Sunlight has been supposed to act powerfully in keeping in
check any tendency to bacterial overgrowth, but although I
have not yet been able to practically test the matter, it seems
probable that the opacity of the Montreal water supply in
summer would render the effect of sunlight very 8li;;lit.

That the improvement which reservoir waters undergo during
sedimentation is not merely due to a mechanical sinking of the
bacteria, is shown bv the fact that the number found in the
deeper strata does not show any corresponding increase. This
was seen in the following observations :

Lower
No

Reservoir
5(U

Reservoir
504a

Lower Reservoir
No. .570

Ijfil<e St. .Tohii. .

5.55

Depth.

Racteria pei

B'roiii
surface.

10
21
10
21
5
10
20
24

'^
10

Al)ove
bottom.

Ma.x.

Min.

43
55

(South Rasin)..

Oft. 2, IWIl. .
(North Uasiiii. .

Oft. 2, IHOl...
(South RasiiO. .

Nov. 2!», 18!»1.

(RoluTvaU

Oct. 7, IMtl...

15
1

1
20
15

t(_)

240
248
182

15
180
214

iNi :

148 :

\ver-
a^e.

.54.3

07.3

10.0

17.5

203.0

2;<8,0

172.0

105.0

24.2
17.0

From what we know of nitrification in waters, the ideal bed
for a re.servoir should be coarse sand or gravel rather than of
bare masonary or cement, but as a matter of fact the natural
sediment from the water furnishes abundance of the nitrifying
agent.

Settling Basin. — This term as applied to the pond at the
wheel houao is a misnomer, as the current is always so rapid as

to allow of very little settling, and, as a matter of fact, the
number of bacteria found tliero watt never noticeably leas than
that in the aijueduct. From a bioloj^ical point of view the plan
suggested by the ISuperintondunt of having a separate channel
for the water used in obtaining power for pumping, and of
greatly enlarging the settling basin seems to be an absolute
necessity. At present the water is pumped into the mains
with very little settling at all, while on'y a small proportion of it
ever passes through the reservoir. I might point out that the
((uestion ot -,' ai should be the [)n>[)er dimensions of the settling
basin is a biological as well as an engineering one, and a series
of examinations should be made to find out what amount oi
surface area would bo sufficient to secure, by sedimentation, the
requisite reduction in the number of bacteria*.

St. Vunegonde. — The samples from the St. Cunegonde source
in the Nuns Island Channel showed about the same number of
bacteria as those from the settling basin, and were decidedly
inferior in (piality to both the reservoir and St. Lawrence water.

Evidently the theory of the supposed superiority of this water
arose through a mistaken inter[)retation of the chemical analyses
by the Inland Revenue Department, and simply consists in a
lessened amount of organic matter due to larger dilution by the
St. Lawrence water. As the organic matter, characteristic of
the Ottawa water, has been shown by Dr. Ruttan to be of the
nature of a harmless pigment (crenic and apocrenic acids), the
most exact proportion in which it may be present is a matter of
indifference from a sanitary point of view.

That the mere passage over the rapids in anyway imi)rove3
the water by oxidation has never been demonstrated, and as we
now know that the oxidation of water is not simply a matter of
aceration, bui is due to the action of the nitrifying bacteria,
there is no longer this theoretical argument in favour of this
point of supply.

On the other hand, a special investigation, made jointly by

* The question of the undo«irabio proxiinity of the RiirbiiRo depot to the settling
basin had not arisen at tlie tiin« wiieri thin imalyiiiii was uiide, and I have since had
no opportunity of investigatini; the uiuttur.

Dr. Ruttan and myself in July, 1891, brought to light facts
which show that the intake of the St. Cunegonde supply is not
very favourably situated.

The discharge from the tailrace, which empties into the Nuns
Island channel 150 yards above the St. Cunegonde intake,
brings with it the contents of the river St. Pierre. This little
stream receives the drainage of al! the land lying to the north of
the canal between Montreal and Lachine, with the result that
its water half a mile west of Cote St. Paul was found to contain
over 13,000 bacteria per cc. A little further on it receives
the washings of the West End Abattoir. This addition gives
the water a very offensive character, and I found it to contain
172,000 bacteria per cc. In examining the tailrace water upon
several occasions I never failed to detect floating portions of
offal and animal debris. After receiving the tailrace water this
number was reduced to 92,500 per cc. owing to the dilution,*

As the discharge of a large volume of this filthy water at a
point 450 feet above the St. Cunegonde intake which is situated,
900 feet from the shore, was so obvious an objection, I made,
jointly with Dr. lluttan, an examination of samples obtained on
July 7th, 1891, at 5 points in the line between the shore and
the intake in order to see how far out the zone of pollution
extended. The wind was offshore and its velocity l^) miles per
hour. The water level was fairly high in tlie channel. The
water close inshore opposite the intake contained (59,000
bacteria per cc. ; at 100 feet out it contained tjt!9 per cc. ; at
200 feet out it coi.tained l.i38 per cc. ; and at 400 feet 157 per
cc. The number obtained from a sample of tap water at the
pumping station was 127 per cc. which one would expect in
pure water.

The chemical results obtained by Dr. Ruttan showed marked
pollution inshore and at 100 feet, with s'ight {)ollutions at 200
feet and none at 400 feet, thus corresi)ondiiig closely with the
biological result.

It is evident that on that occasion the zone oi pollution

* This uontiuuinatioii of thu tailrace has no lioaring upon tliu Muntreul Hupply itii
he water only becomes polluted uftur leaving tho settling Itutiin.

ceased between 200 and 400 feet from the shore or 500 and
700 feet from the intake, and it is unlikely that under ordinary
conditions the contents of the tailrace enter the St. Cunegonde
supply. Still, a-i under altered conditions of the current, water
level or led of the river it is not impossible that this may
occasionally hafipen, especially when the shallow flats lying
inshore ; packed with ice.

It would seem safer to divert the drainage of the St. Pierre
into the city sewen,, though I never found any evidence of such
pollution in the samples examined.

I was not able to detect any evidence of pollution from the
tanneries either in the water or the ice of this locality, but the
probability that the Verdun shore may soon become densely
po[)ulated is a further objection to the site.

An interesting point in the analysis was the increase in bac-
teria, was almost entirely caused by a species apparently iden-
tical with the colon bacillus. Corresponding with this increase
there was a falling off in the proportion of the Bacillus jiiiores-
cena Uijuefacieni<, which formed from 80 to 40 per cent, of all
the colonies in the pure water of the river and only 0.5 to 1 .0
per cent, of those in the polluted water of the tailrace. At
100 feet out the proportion of P UiorescetiH liq., rose to 12 per
cei»t. at 200 feet to 25 per cent, and at 400 feet to 8') per
cent. It would seem that axiy -nusual deficiency of the propor-
tion o( this or;'anism to the total colonies durin'jj summer should
be regarded with great suspicion.

St. IjdwreMce Water. — The results of the examinations do not
show that this water is better from a sanitary point of view than
the present city .supply, as lar as can be judged from the
number of bacteria and the nature of the sediment. Although
inlonned that the line of the pure St. Lawrence water would
always bo met with at a {)oint 800 feet south of Nun's Island, I
have on two occasions seen the Ottawa water extend as far as
1500 feet south of the island. Of the St. Lawrence water it can
saftdy Ite said that it is a perfectly clean and pure river water.
One point in favor of the St. Lawrence is that it is far less

affected than the present city supply by temporary pollution
due to heavy rainfall or melting snow.

II. — Examination of Local Conditions Affecting the
Montreal Water Supi'ly.

Tap Water. — In order to determine whether the water as
supplied y taps was similar in quality to that of the mains,
numerous samples were examined during July and August of
1891. The taps were in all cases allowed to run for at least
30 minutes before samples were taken and two or more samples
were always examined, in order to make sure that the number
obtained was typical for the day. Besides taking samples each
day from one special tap which was allowed to run continuously,

I made frequent examinations from taps in various parts of
the city.

The tap water was found to contain practically the same
number of bacteria as the water of the settling basin and, as a
rule more than that of the reservoir. The number of bacteria
was found as a rule remarkably constant, irrespective of the
points from which the samples were obtained. Usually, but not
always, the taps on the circuit supplied by the upper reservoir
(the water from which is pumped up from the lower reservoir)
contained fewer bacteria than those in the lower circuit. I
have given the results in the following table.

Comparison of Upper and Lower Circuit

Date.

Number of Ba
Lower Circuit.

•.m\

210
140

ijO
30

cteria per cc.
Upper Circuit.

1891.

May 1

117

" 14

" 22

105

J uue 215

" 30

As far as it goes this supports the view that the water is
improved by standing in the reservoir.

During July ths daily examination showed for the upper cir-

cuit a maximum number of 136 bacteria per cc. and a minimum
of 28, the average being 68. During August the maximum was
160 per cc the minimum 17 and the average 5^).

A comparison was made of the water from the lower and
upper circuits with the following results.

Ii< ■' . ; Circuit.

Ujjper (

Jircuit.

Reservoir. 1 Taps.

Reservoir.

Taps.

Sept. 23

3» 37
nii 49

2!)

,tO

Oct. 2.. .

AUI.ough this shows relatively slightly more bacteria in the
upper than the lower circuits, the difference is not large enough
to be outside the limits of experimental error.

Aqueduct. — Two examinations of samples taken at 5 points
along the aqueduct gave :

Aug. 7.

Sept. 12.

Mfixlmnm

Mininiuin

173

!»3

224

11.-)

102

Settling Hasiu

113

Lacliine Iiitalve

The variation is not suflBcient to show any material change in
the water during its passage from Lachine.

Bead Ends. — In districts where the circulation in the mains
is not complete complaints are often made of turbidity of the
water. This turbidity appears to be due to rust from the mains
but as the consumers are inclined to consider this condition as
unwholesome, I made on Aug. 24th, 1891, an examination of
the water from 11 different districts supplied from dead ends.
The average number of bacteria found per cc. was 94, and
therefore such as to exclude any idea of a polluted or stagnant
state of the water. The vital statistics from the streets supplied
by dead ends do not show any greater frequency of typhoid than
other parts of the city. Iron rust is, as we know used as a
means of precipitant for freeing water of organic matter.

III. — Study of the Rivku Water at Points Ai?ove

Montreal.

Ottawa Water. — In order to study the iiiHuence o( the towns
along the course of tlie river upon the character of tlie water,
two sets of examinations were made in 1891, one on July ;5rd,
and the other on Sept. 24th. Sam[)le8 were collected from the
bow of a steamboat by means of a tishin;:; rod and line to which
small weighted bottles were attached, and the cultures made
immediately. Duplicate samjiles were taken at IT) points on
each trip, and a sample was also obtained from lake Dcs ( 'henes,
10 miles above Ottawa. Owing to an accident, several of the
cultures made during the first trip could not be made use of.
The results obtained are given in the following table together
with the distances below Ottawa.

Distances i)el()\v
Ottawa.

Hacteria jicr
ce.

Above Ottawa (C.P.R. Ilridse)

(iatiiii-au

thiiiilit'rlaiid

Miles.

:i(i

SKI
Kill
12(1

170

(i,St)

iriiiii

(ireiivilk-

Carillon

*Coino

*St. Anne

IS
00
72
11

lij-neli's Id

•In lake of Two Moinitiiins.

These are shown graphically in Fig. (].

This showed a marked increase in the number of bacteria
below the city of Ottawa, diminishing to the normal for river
water by Grenville and reaching a minimum in the lake of Two
Mountains, and increasing slightly in the river channel below
St. Anne. None of the smaller towns appeared to have any
perceptible pollutory effect on the water.

In the second test on Sept. 24th and 25th, a much more
thorough examination was obtained, but the results corresponded
to a remarkable extent with those of the former examination. I
have given the table in full in order to show the measure in
which samples taken from the same points on two succeed-

ing days resembled one another in regard to the number of
bacteria :

I,(iciilil>.

I
Max.

'!) Tri].
Mill.

Aver.

Down Tr

!>•

( 'oiiiltiiicii
A\(M';ij:;i'

Max.

;i65
7:v2

Min.

250
.•!2!)

AVIT.

5.2

:i07
.5:{2

of hotii
1 lijjK.

Lakt'Dt'sClii'iip.s.

Mirsbciou Otfa.
•>

5S0

52S

ICO

155

172

:ill

2()

:i7

IS
10

:(7S
rM)
•ITl
12:{
i:to
i:u
It;

2()
I!)

:{|

17!)
5(K)

:{77

110

117

257

l(i

:<;{
2:1

:«)

11
17 i

IS
12

:!!):{

;>20

20 CnniluTliiiKl.

;10 Tluirso

.5(1 Moiiti'hcllo. .
(iO i;()rit,'iial .. . .
<)5 (iiviiville. . . .

17<i

172

i:«)
72
24
21

152
122

;{|

Mil

204

m Ciirillon

!»0 Conio . , 'S.^

92 OUa .... • "!^

1(K) Si Aiiiie ^1

105 Lyiicirs Id...
120 Lacliinc

:{s

2S
•8
1(1

2(i

<*•

:i2

"(1

:!4

17
12

This is shown graphically in Figs. 7 and 8.

A point to which Dr. Rattan was the first to call attention is
that the thickly settled agricultural district composed by the
counties of Pembroke and Russell, having a population of about
100,000, drains into the Ottawa. An examination of water of
one of the large streams for this district, the South Nation
ri/er, was made by us in May 1892, but no evidences of pollu-
tion were detected

From this it is evident that any pollution due to the Ottawa
or other sewage is effectually got rid of long before it reaches
Montreal. The greatest improvement apparently takes place
in the Lake of Two Mountains the bacteria being much fewer
at the lower than the upper end. Attention may also be called
to the fact that the number of bacteria in the water of the Lake
of Two Mountain '.a lower than that of the present Montreal
supply which on Sept. 28rd, gave 30 to 49 per cc.

That St. Anne, and upper Lachine with the intervening
population along the banks of the St. Lawrence do not form a

Ifffl

possible source of infection for the Montreal water supply is by
no means clear as our water is taken from the portion which flows
by the '■ bank of the St. Lawrence. It seems advisable
that at 1 sanitary inspection of this district should be made

.SrOT'Vr

I. »/./«. 4r.'.»

I Ottufnt

KM
BOO

.^}unbrt t4
Buft'rui

■^.•s

_,. —

•1
I

-^^

._L_.

Fig. 7 Diagram showing tlie condition nf Ottawa water above
(I-'irst exaniinalion, .July liOth, I8i)l.)

X.-

Montreal.

Siiiii/jJe

'2'

1 li:ii,-a

»1

-—

■ - -

—

V - ---
- _ -

—

14IMI
miK
no*
mo
mo
■tm

tM
j. VumArr H

—

•

, —

—

-r-

■m

>»

«!

Fig. 8 -Diagram sliowingtlie condition of Ottawa water above Montreal.
(Second examination, Sept. 2ttli, IHOl.)

and a map prepared showing the position of all privies, barns,
etc., in order that any possible source of infection should be
eliminated. The key to the safety of the Montreal drinking
supply may be said to lie between St. Anne and the intake.

The entrance to the intake is confidingly placed so as to catch
all washings from the adjacent portions of the lower Lachine
road.

Question of typhoid infection. — The followinj^ inquiry iiito

the possibility of water-borne typhoid in connection with the

Montreal water may be of interest :

Com/iariso/t of fyrijtwnei/ o/' 7'f//.'/' su}*
at Otfary-a a/ul Jllonir^ct/

/zoo

noo

tooo

uoo

60O

/aoo

ooo

jsuo

JIOO

ooo

700

600

- aoo

ZOO

lOO

Fig. y.
The number of cases reported each month at the health office
are shown in figure 6. It is evident that if the frequency of
typhoid fever depended upon general contamination of the water
supply, it would, allowing for the period of incubation, be ex-
pected to appear in the month following the greatest contamina-
tion of the water. As no increase in typhoid occurred in these

months, that disease beinj^ most prevalent when the number of
bacteria in the water reached its lowest point, it is evident that
the turbidity and increase in bacteria which jjcriodically aU'ects
the Montreal sapj)ly is not of such a nature as to cause or ]»redis-
pose to typhoid infection. In this connection it was interesting
to see if there was any relation between the frocjuency of
typhoid at Ottawa and at Montreal. Unfortunately non-fatal
cases of typhoid are not reported to the Ottawa health olHce,
and it is a well-known fact that less than half of the cases are
reported at the Montreal office. As the deaths from typhoid
are reported however, I have taken these as my basis, calculating
the mortality at 10 per cent. As shown by figure 9 there is
not only no constant relation between the fre(iuency of typhoid
in the two cities, but that even the severe epidemic of typhoid
at Ottawa in 1888, was not accompanied by any increase in the
number of cases in Montreal.

It appears therefore that general pollution of the Montreal
water as may occur is probably of a harmless nature and does
not form a source of infection.

St. Lawrence above Montreal. — A double series of observa-
tions was made m the same manner as in the case of Ottawa,
the samples being taken on July "27th, 1891, between Brockvillc
.and Laohine, and on Sept. BOth, 1891, between Kingston and
Lachine.

The result with the distances above the Montreal intake at
which the samples were taken, arc shown in the following table
and in figures 10 and 11 :

Sample from

DiNlancc
aliove
intakf.

Lake Oiidirio near

iviiiiistmi. . !!(() mi

I-i)iiK Point ISO

Clavtoii 17.")

Hrockvillo 125

(;al(ip Rapid i)8

Ik'ad of LoiifT Saiilt. ... 75

l'\)0t of LoiiK Sault ()H

Coi'iiwiill i ()5

Coteuu U5

Caughiiawaga I 2

les,

Max.

Hactoria \)i'v cc.

.Iul\ 27tli - Sept. :iOtli -

Aver
ane.

7()

210
lot)

i.>-.
77
74

Mill.

■■M

141

iH)
2()
4!)

Aver-
age.

Max.

2! I
51

:i7

121
1.51

i;{i)

(11

:5;i

Mill.

1(! 22
4H 41)
25 21)

5(}
10
20

IH
7(i

This examination ahowed an interestinji increase in the
nurahcr of bacteria on both occasions iti the swii't and relatively
shallow stretch of river below I'rescott, the number falling again
in Lake St. Francis and rising soraewhat below Lake St, Louis.

Sum/tif

fltjr/rftil

i__L

Fig.

Aiiir/i/r

10— Diiinriim sliowing condition of St. Liiwrence water above
Montreiil. (First examination, .July 2(itli, 18(51).

|. Uiiihr,,/

IT.\

- 3-

■J

•51

T-

FiK- 11 Diiifii-fUM siiowiiiji condit inn of Si. Ij.'iurciu'c water aiiove
Montioiil. (Secon'l examination, Octoi)er 1st, l.^i)l.)

It also shows throughout a relatively smaller number of bacteria
in the water in September than in July.

IV. SURFACK WaTKKS IN OTIIEK PaRTS OP CaNADA.

Water from (Jninh'ihUed Districts. — A number of examina-
tions made for the purpose of comparing the Ottawa water with

■I;

similar peaty waters for uninhabited diatricta, may be briefly
recorded here by means of the following table, which shows that
the water of the large rivers of the far north, coming from a
desolate and almost unexplored country, contain as many bac-
teria as the Montreal water supply. It must be mentioned
however that some of the samples were taken during a period of
heavy rainfall late in the autumn.

Date.

1891.
Auk, 30,
Oct. 7.

Sainplo.

Biu'teria per cc.

Mux.

SiiKUi-nay above Chicoutimi 70

Oiiiatcliouan I'M

.\.sliiia]) Motuliuan | 7<H)

MititaMsiiii OtM

Mill.

41
101

KM)
UK)

.\vcr-
agi'.

118
470
474

Tempera-
ture of
water C.

IS'
12"
10
10^

Other Canadian Water Supplien. — Finally it seems of some
interest (in view of the scanty data available on the subject)
to mention some analysis of other Canadian water supplies which
I made during the summer of 1891, though the fact that these
waters were not repeatedly examined makes it impossible to
draw any definite conclusion as to their relative sanitary value.
In each case several different samples were taken and the cul-
tures were, in every case made upon the spot.

Hacteria per cc.

hoc-ality.

Date x/ u

samples.

Max.

!H)
112
20;i
218

^^•"•t^U^'

Kingston, Out

Sept. 30th, 1891.
Oct. 7th, " .
.lulv " .
.hil\ 17lh. 18)12.

H
i)
7

48 0.5

Qui'Ih'c, Q

80 1 !MI

Slierhrnokc. Q

H<-"fiix. N.S

8,5 212
41 )H»

I mention these results partly in order to emphasize the fact
that for a reliable analysis the water must be repeatedly exam-
ined and samples obtained at different seasons. In a recently
published biological analysis of 21 Canadian water supplies,*
made in the spring of 1894 very different results were obtained,

•B. B. Shuttleworth, Toronto Telegram, May 10th, 94.

he number of bacteria found in the Quebec water, for example,
being stated aa 1045 per cc. whereas it only contained DO per
c.c. on the occasion when I examined it.

Descrii'tion of Species of Bacteria Foi'ND — Qialitative
Bacterial Analysis.

From a sanitary point of view the most pressing (juestions in
connection with my analysis of the Montreal water suj)ply were
those bearing upon the possibility of pollution. This can be
determined as a rule better by (luantitative than qualitative
work, and I found that the study of the problems of this nature
took up so much time that very little was left for the determin-
ing of the species of bacteria present.

Although 1 isolated over fifty different forms from the water,
I was not able in all cases to study them thoroughly enough to
identify them with existing species described by others. This
identification is a matter of extreme difficulty except in the case
of well known and easily recognized forms, and the difficulty
is increased rather than diminished by the fact that some
workers have published as new species forms which were already
described, or described them in so vague and unsatisfactory a
manner that it is impossible, from the meagre details given,
to tell whether they are new or not. Microphotography does
not seem to have greatly helped matters, and with the pigment
producing (chromogenic) bacteria, it is imjiossible to tell from
the descriptions given what the shade of colour really is and in
how much its tint depends upon the medium employed.

For these reasons, although I detected and described several
forms which I consider to be new species, I have hesitated to
publish them for fear of adding to the existing confusion.

It seems to me that the great tendency whicli these organ
isms have to form varieties and races makes it really of leas
importance exce[)t in the case of pathogenic forms to multiply
the number of new species by em{)hasizing minute points
of difference than to study their points of resemblance, and so
form them into definite groups in which, while the members
might differ slightly from one another, their main characteristics

would enable tht'iu to be distiii^^uishod from the memhors of
other nrou[)a. In other words, I would suj^'-^est the atuily of the
affinities an well as the differences of the organisms. In that
case, even if one niij^ht not he (|uite certain if the orj^anisiu was
a new species, he would know approximately where to place it.

It may, perhaps, not t)e out of jihice to (piote the following
|)a88age from my report made in 18'Jl (though no doubt tlie
idea has occurred to others) :

" The result of tlie lar^e number of disjointed efforts made
in the direction of systematic description of the water bacteria
makes it clear that the matter can never be settled on paper or
by the isola^-^d observations of individuals. What is wanted
seem;: to be more co-operation amonj; those workin;^ on the sub-
ject. This would lead to a soutider basis of classification of the
water flora and seeius really to be the only feasible means of
attaining that end. If a society or committee of those engaged
in water analyses in different localities could be formed, and each
member allotted one group to investigate, so that various organ-
isms of the same grou|t obtained from different localities could be
compared by parallel cultures, the results wh-^n compared and
published would soon form a recognized standard of comparison.
This would not only helj> beginners, but would obviate to some
extent the causes which tend to confuse the work."

Not feeling myself competent to take the lead in a project of
this sort, I refrained from taking any steps in the matter, but
it may be mentioned that with the co-operation of Professor
Adami, of Montreal, an attempt is now being made to organize
somewliat upon the lines just laid down a scheme for the co-
operative study of the water bacteria.

Bacteria Found in Montreal Water. — The forms which oc-
curred were almost exclusively bacilli, only two species of
micrococci being met with.

During the pollution due to heavy rains and melting snow a
considerable number of mohls, were present. A form of
Fusariani was once detected in taj) water.

The relative [iroportions of the species present often gave
valuable indication ot slight degrees of pollution when the total

number of colonies was not Biiflicient to attract attention * an.l
certain species, notably II. inycoides, apfjcared wben the water
waa exposed to the wasliinj^s of cultivated land.

Aa a rule •'> to 7 forinH wore detected in each sample when
the water was pure, while in impure samples from the Montreal
harbour, I have isolated as matiy us 1(! species from the sample.
On the otiier hand when a large number of bacteria deve. id
in stored waters which were pure nearly 90 per cent of the
colonies would belong to one species, usually B. Fluorescens
liquefaoienK, and if during the summer the [)roportion of this or-
ganism (which was normally from 'M) to 40 per cent of the total
colonies) fell to below 12 per cent, other proofs of pollution
were usually forthcoming.

A singular circumstance was that in winter this ratio fell to
5 or 10 per cent, although the water was pure, the proportion
suddenly rising again when the warm weather returned, while
B. Aquatilis and other members of the yellow pigment-
forming group formed the leading flora during winter. This
transition ia shown in the following table of analyses :

V2H
121)

14(t

140

i;hh

IHl

Suiiiple.

Tap
Taj)

Tai>

Iti'servoir

Hiisiii

St. t'micKondc
St. fiawriMici'..

Tap

St. Lawrence

Date.

May (I, IMM.

.May 7

T.'inp.

of
water.

May
May
May
May
May

II
II
i:i
i:(
i:<

■liiiie I.
•June H. .

I)
(S

II)
i:<
11 .

II
14

UK!

8(M)

1(H)
UN!
IK!

245

no
12;^

3 r"

15
15
12

10
40

;«)
:!5

20
21)
20
15
25

2
4

The following were among the common forms met with in
Montreal water :

B. arboresccus, B. afiuatilis, B. floureifcens, B. fluores-
cent liquefaciens, B. janthenuH, B. i/laiicuis, B. megatherium,

' See page 21.

B. mnUipedimlus, B. mycoide», B. nacreosm, B. aurantiacus
B. raniosus, B. aquatilis suloatiis, B. mesentrieus vulyatus,
B. mexmterious fiiscus, B. proteus, B. fulims, B. fmcus,
B. ochri'ceus, B. pUeatus, B. implexus, B. ruber.

Among the rare forms may be mentioned B. Borolinensis, of
which one single colony was met with.

Spirilla were not detected, but it must be mentioned that the
plan of cultivating in weak peptotie solutions was not kn)wn at
the time.

I was able by means of the Pariotti and P^r<! methods to
isolate forms apparently belonging to colon group, but never
succeeded with Montreal water in finding a perfectly typical
distinctive culture of B. Coli or B. Typhi, whereas I found these
present in some spring water at .» village where typhoid was
epidemic.

CONCLUSIONS.

From the result of this analysis it appears :

1. That the Montreal water is of good quality, as compared
with other surface water, and does not appear to be at present
a source of danger to public health, though its future purity
is not altogether assured.

2. That from a biological point of view the St. Lawrence
water is not superior to that of the Ottawa.

3. That the St. Cunegonde site offers no advantages.

4. That the reservoir water is superior to that of the settling
basin, and that the Ottawa water is well adapted for storage in
open reservoirs.

5. That better facilities for settling water should be provided)
and no water pumped into the mains without previous sedi-
mentation.

Inasmuch as the extreme severity of the winter makes
the employment of filtration impracticable, it is necessary
to watch very carefully any minor sources of possible pollution
especially those lying between the settling basin and St. Anne.

It would be advisable to make experimental studies upon
the dimensions and capacity of a suitable settling basin, and
also to make arrangements by which the water could be

examinefl regularly at weekly or fortnightly intervals in order
that any variations from the usual standard of purity estab-
lished by these analyses ra&y be promptly investigated. It
would also be well to see it a better quality of water could
not be obtained from the Lake of Two Mountains, and to inves-
tigate the amount and quality of water available in the lakes in
the Laurentian Mountains, lying to the north, in case of a
change of supply becoming necessary in the future.

I have to record my thanks to Mr. A. Davis, Superintendent
of the Montreal Water Works, for having obtained permission
to publish the foregoing report, and also for kindly loaning the
cuts which illustrate it.