Faraday to Peter Henry Berthon   14 October 1864

Royal Institution | 14 October 1864.

My dear Sir

I beg to report to you the results of the examination of the two waters which you sent me the 6th instant¹ - the one from Orfordness:- the other from Lundy Island.

Orfordness: This water was in a large clean stone bottle - was good in appearance - clean in colour & in respect of sediment - right in taste and smell, and gave but a very little non-floculent deposit. The water itself contained no lead in solution and I cannot think that such water would be unwholesome in that respect - but the deposit did give a small trace of lead, and though its quantity was not enough to cause any fear in that respect, it shews that the circumstances under which the water is gathered & preserved do at times involve the presence of lead and suggest that at times it may rise to an injurious amount.

Lundy island - Fog gun Station. This water was also contained in a stone ware bottle. It had a stale odour - was of faint brown colour - & unfresh as to taste: but all this might have been due to an old cork which had been left in the bottle - The water on standing some days became bright and allowed a little deposit to separate but I could not find any traces of lead either in the water or in the deposit, or any signs that the metal lead was concerned in the water arrangements or that the water was unwholesome from its presence[.]

I am | My dear Sir | Very truly Yours | M. Faraday

P.H. Berthon Esqr | &c &c &c