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
Holborn 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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The solid matter expressed in tons falling over the area of Holborn month by month was as follows:—
| Month | Insoluble matter | Soluble matter | Total solids |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.78 | 9.77 | 16.55 |
| February | 5.65 | 5.92 | 11.57 |
| March | 8.00 | 7.85 | 15.86 |
| April | 4.46 | 4.91 | 9.37 |
| May | 8.58 | 4.56 | 13.14 |
| June | 6.47 | 6.54 | 13.01 |
| July | 4.99 | 6.11 | 11.10 |
| August | 3.77 | 10.40 | 14.17 |
| September | 6.84 | 5.99 | 12.83 |
| October | 6.50 | 5.66 | 12.16 |
| November | 5.99 | 6.73 | 12.72 |
| December | 5.16 | 8.20 | 13.36 |
Daily Measurement of Suspended Matter
During the latter part of 1955 apparatus for making daily estimations of smoke
was installed by the Council at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
Keppel Street, and at the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, Queen Square.
The apparatus consists mainly of an air pump which draws a known volume of air from
outside and passes it through a white filter paper. The amount of smoke collected is
estimated by comparing the stain on the paper with a calibrated scale of shades. The
following recordings were obtained during 1958:—
Concentration of smoke—milligrammes per cubic metre.
| Month | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Value | Highest Value | Lowest Value | Average Value | Highest Value | Lowest Value | |
| January | 0.43 | 0.93 | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.99 | 0.08 |
| February | 0.30 | 0.50 | 0.14 | 0.23 | 0.57 | 0.08 |
| March | 0.32 | 0.62 | 0.21 | 0.27 | 0.66 | 0.04 |
| April | 0.33 | 0.50 | 0.22 | 0.23 | 0.31 | 0.08 |
| May | 0.15 | 0.46 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.32 | 0.04 |
| June | 0.19 | 0.33 | 0.07 | 0.14 | 0.24 | 0.08 |
| July | 0.16 | 0.24 | 0.07 | 0.15 | 0.31 | 0.04 |
| August | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.04 |
| September | 0.19 | 0.45 | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.51 | 0.04 |
| October | 0.28 | 0.64 | 0.14 | 0.25 | 0.67 | 0.04 |
| November | 0.47 | 0.94 | 0.23 | 0.46 | 1.00 | 0.23 |
| December | 0.44 | 0.79 | 0.22 | 0.41 | 0.86 | 0.12 |