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Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution.—Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research.—In view of the work undertaken by the City Council
in relation to the investigation of atmospheric pollution, the Department
mentioned invited the Council to appoint members to the Standing
Conference of co-operating bodies. This body consists of representatives
of local authorities, industrial undertakings, scientific societies, &c.,
actively interested in such investigations. The Council appointed your
Medical Officer of Health and Mr.. J. McLachlan, one of the City's public
analysts, as its representatives. They attended the meetings held in
May and November when matters relating to administration of smoke
legislation and research into causes of atmospheric pollution were
discussed.
Atmospheric Pollution.—Ever since the representations were made by
the City Council and other local authorities in 1929 in connection with the
proposal to erect a large Power Station in Battersea, the whole question
of atmospheric pollution has been carefully studied by the Council. The
Battersea Power Station has been partially completed, but so far as is
known, even the completed section was not in full operation at the end of
the year. It will be remembered that it was the possibility of deleterious
effects arising from sulphur fumes from large power stations which caused
so much discussion in Parliament and in the Press in 1929. The public
had then in mind the case of Farmworth v. Manchester Corporation.
ultimately decided in the House of Lords against the Corporation. At
Battersea an elaborate plant for the elimination of grit and noxious gases
has been installed, and is in operation, but so far no authoritative report
has reached the public as to its results. The City Council began the
estimation of sulphur gas in December, 1931, and has records over a
considerable period prior to the completion of the first section of the
station. 1
Methods of Investigation.— There are three main lines of investigation
:—
(1) The estimation of soluble and insoluble impurities deposited from
the air, or washed out of the air into deposit gauges consisting of large
glass bottles with their collecting funnels, which are of measured area.
The deposited impurities and the varying quantity of rainwater in the
bottles are examined by Mr. McLachlan, one of the Council's analysts,
at the end of each month.
(2) The qualitative and quantitative comparison by means of a colour
standard of the effects of suspended impurities in the air. A measured
volume of air is drawn through the rim of a disc of filter paper rotated at