Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Pollution, Disease, Public Health, Analytical Chemistry

    Reflects on the 'alarming' number of Londoners who drink or bathe in the water of the Thames, a river the author re-christens 'aqua mortis'. Considers the river so dirty that he regards the 'Black Sea' as its possible source. Remarks that it 'does not require much knowledge of chemistry' to determine the amount of organic matter in this water.