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from the general practitioners, the local hospitals and the London County
Council Health and Welfare Departments.
Operations under the Clean Air Act continue and the No. 1 Smoke
Control Area is now in operation and the No. 2 Area Order will be
effective from the Ist October, 1961. In the meantime, other areas are
being surveyed and the Council hope to be declaring Smoke Control
Areas regularly over the next few years until the whole Borough is covered.
Of course, success in this scheme is dependent on the co-operation of
industry and on the ready availability of smokeless fuel at prices the
ordinary citizen can afford. I think it is generally agreed that the conception
of a clean atmosphere to match clean and safe water and food is
sound, and improvement in the cleanliness of the atmosphere is already
apparent. Analysis of our measurement records shows considerable
reduction in smoke concentration but little, if any, reduction in sulphur
dioxide levels. More research is needed urgently on the problems of
diesel and internal combustion engines. The evidence is equivocal and
it is difficult in the state of our present knowledge to convict or exonerate
the pollutant gases which are being emitted by vehicles in ever greater
volumes. Undoubtedly, these gases are irritant and contain known
cancer-inducing substances, but are these gases present in sufficient
concentration and for sufficient time to have deleterious effects on the
populace ?
The year saw the retirement of Mr. A. C. Webster, the Chief Public
Health Inspector, who had been in the Department as an Inspector for
nearly 35 years. Mr. Webster was knowledgeable, keen and conscientious,
and I must record the high opinion I formed of his abilities. I
found him a loyal and helpful colleague, and his retirement was a loss to
the Department and to the citizens of the Borough.
I am glad to record the ready co-operation which we receive from the
Divisional Health Office under Dr. F. R. Waldron. I must also make
mention of the Public Health laboratories at County Hall and Hither
Green Hospital who are ever vigilant in the detection of bacteriological
contamination. No epidemiological control is effective without the
support of a reliable laboratory service and we place great reliance on
their technical judgement and clinical acumen.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the staff for another year of service and
to express my appreciation of the help and support which I receive at all
times from the Chariman and Vice-Chairman of the Public Health
Committee.
I remain,
Your obedient Servant,
John Kerr Brown,
Medical Officer of Health.