Folios 157-161. To: The General Board of Health. From: Francis Cooper, Officer of...

Folios 157-161.

To: The General Board of Health.

From: Francis Cooper, Officer of Health, Southampton [Hampshire].

Subject Matter: Letter advising that after many experiments he has succeeded in precipitating and sufficiently deodorising liquid sewage, for all practical purposes, and that he has no doubt whatsoever of the practicability of applying his scheme to the Metropolis and every town in the Kingdom. Cooper explains that he does not at present contemplate a patent, but will make such a proposition to the General Board of Health as will meet his views and the general interest of those towns which are at present under the General Board, as well as the Metropolis. He also does not, 'of course', state what his method is, 'by which, at an economical rate, the whole sewage of this country can be utilised'. If the General Board will fix a day, and have a few gallons of liquid sewage, 'or what quantity they please', brought to any place that may be most suitable, Cooper explains that he will be happy to come to London and show the Board with what [rapidity] and effect his precipitant acts. He has no doubt that by his method, 'the Thames may be completely freed from all further pollution'. Cooper suggests that a glass jar, 'holding several gallons', would be as good a means of showing the effect of his precipitant as liquid sewage on a larger scale - 'besides it would save the trouble of carrying a larger quantity of deodorising material with me'. He adds in a postscript that he would prefer the [worst] sewage matter - 'taken fresh from the sewer' - for the purpose of his demonstration.

[Folios 160-161 are a minute on Cooper's communication by Henry Austin, Chief Superintending Inspector. He remarks that the sort of experiment which the writer proposes to exhibit has been accomplished very perfectly already by various known materials, and unless he is prepared to state what his materials are, and at what cost the process can be practically carried out, he does not see what object would be gained by the proposed interview].