Author: Wanklyn, J Alfred & Chapman, Ernest Theophron
Title: Water Analysis : A Practical Treatise On The Examination Of Potable Water
Description: Trübner & Co, 60 Paternoster Row., 1870, 2nd edition. Original blind stamped cloth, VG. xvi+112pp, cloth a little rubbed at the edges, Ex Library ( Royal College of Surgeons Ireland ) with their ink stamp twice to the title & a blind stamp to the preface, light foxing to approx a third of the text, old ownership signature of Charles A Cameron dated 1871 to the endpaper. A nice copy. Hardback , no dustjacket. ¶ A detailed account of the chemical analysis of water to determine whether it is suitable as drinking water. The book is more concerned with deciding if hard or soft water, or water containing chemical impurities is fit to drink as opposed to discovering if water contains living organisms or sewage effluent. James Alfred Wanklyn [ 1834 - 1906 ], chemist, with the book containing details of his controversial ‘ammonia process’ ( to detect nitrogenous organic matter ) of water analysis, which, though suspect both in terms of chemical theory and hygienic relevance, was adopted as the standard form of water analysis in Britain & the United States for many decades. The book went through 11 editions by 1906.

Keywords: chemistry, water, hygine, medicine, health, sanitation