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41
Atmospheric Pollution
Since the war more and more attention has been given to the problem
of atmospheric pollution which is the undoubted cause of much
ill-health, economic loss through damage to buildings and in other
ways, and psychologically of lack of cheer, It may or may not have a
bearing on the increasing incidence of cancer of the lung but it certainly
had a bearing on the development of a smog which lasted several
days in December 1952 and which precipitated the death of many elderly
persons.
Monthly measurements of deposits and sulphur dioxide pollution on
the roof of the Health Centre were initiated in July 1953 and daily
assessments of the amount of smoke and of free sulphur dioxide in May
1955. The chief value of these recordings lies in their critical and
expert analysis in relation to those made at other stations in this
part of the country over a period of years which is undertaken by the
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.
The only general observations which would seem justified up to
date, and they must be regarded as provisional, are:
1. That pollution in Finsbury is rather less than that in the City,
Holborn and Westminster, and rather more than that in Islington,
St. Pancras and Shoreditch particularly in summer.
2. That pollution in summer is only about half that in winter on
average, thus pointing to the great amount of pollution caused
by domestic heating in addition to that by industrial processes
which might be expected to be uniform throughout the year.
The council has been represented on the National Smoke Abatement
Society, the London and Home Counties Smoke Abatement Advisory Council,
and the Standing Conference of Co-operating Bodies convened by the
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.
The principal sources of pollution are:
1. Industrial Premises.
Whenever a smoke nuisance is observed on complaint or otherwise
the management of the firm have been interviewed and warned. In
addition considerable effort has been expended in endeavouring to get
the firm and its employees concerned with the problem and in the
giving of advice.