London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of Westminster 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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level throughout the rest of the day. The lateness in the rise to the
maximum (9-11 a.m.) would appear to indicate that in the neighbourhood
of the City Hall, at any rate, factory chimneys are almost negligible as a
contributory factor. The pollution is no doubt to be attributed to the
fireplaces of restaurants, offices, and dwelling houses.
The other instrument is known as a Deposit Gauge, and is used for
the collection of particles of dirt, etc., contained in the atmosphere.
Rain water, together with the impurities which it collects during its
passage to earth, is collected in this gauge, and by chemical analysis it is
possible to ascertain the degree of atmospheric pollution.
Two of these gauges have been installed ; one was placed in the
Gardens in Mount Street, Mayfair, and the other at the Mortuary Premises,
Horseferry Road.
Table VIII.
| 1930. | Figures in English tons per sq. mile. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseferry Road. | Mount Street. | Wandsworth Common. | ||||
| Total Solids | Sulphur. | Total Solids. | Sulphur. | Total Solids. | Sulphur. | |
| August | 33.99 | 1.69 | 14.9 | 1.20 | 10.79 | 2.04 |
| September | 37.65 | 3.64 | 37.26 | 3.56 | 17.95 | 3.16 |
| October | 31.87 | 2.80 | 25.88 | 2.82 | 10.12 | 1.35 |
| November | 42.04 | 4.80 | 35.12 | 5.62 | 19.13 | 2.37 |
| December | 37.78 | 4.41 | 32.59 | 5.11 | 15.61 | 1.57 |
The figures in the third columns are taken for comparison and control.
Battersea Power Station.—Opposition to the erection of the first section
of this super.power station was offered by a deputation representing the
authorities of Westminster, Chelsea and Kensington, and the Dean and
Chapter of Westminster Abbey, who waited upon the Ministers of Health
and Transport in the autumn of 1929 and received certain assurances by
which it was hoped to allay the apprehensions which they had voiced on the
problem of sulphur and grit elimination. As the first sectk i had already
been authorised it was felt then that no further steps could be taken in
opposition to the erection of the station as a whole, pending the further
investigations of the Government Chemist.