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42
Sydenham. Redistributing the Lewisham Park deaths, i.e., the deaths
at Lewisham hospital, as between Lee and Sydenham even accentuates
the result, the exact ratio for the two weeks in question being 100 Lee
to 145 Sydenham whereas for the two previous years it was 100 :94
and 100 : 85 respectively. In other words, compared with Lee, the
Sydenham deaths from the fog were nearly 50 percent more than
should have occurred. It is desirable therefore to consider why
Sydenham should be more affected.
Factors might be:—
(1) An older population in the Sydenham area;
(2) A denser fog owing to geographical configuration; or
(3) A more poisonous fog due to greater atmospheric pollution
in one part of the borough than in the other.
With regard to (1), the age constitution of the population, it is not
known how the two districts differ, but since Sydenham also includes
Downham and Bellingham it is not likely to have a substantially older
population, and even if it had it would probably have shown itself in
the death returns in previous years, which, however, as stated above,
were on the contrary almost exactly equal for the two areas. There is
also the fact that Ladywell Institution is included in the Sydenham
area and there were 16 deaths there, but again this would have shown
itself in previous years. One factor does require adjustment and that
is that all Ladywell deaths in 1952 have been counted as Lewisham
residents even though their previous homes might have been outside the
borough. This was not the case in 1951 and 1950, therefore it would
be more correct to exclude these. There were 10 of them, but the exclusion
still leaves the Lee/Sydenham ratio as 100 to 134.
With regard to (2), intensity of the fog due to geographical configuration,
the hills in the Sydenham area might possibly have had an effect.
A contour map of this part of London shows Lewisham to be in a
valley, which is relatively deep at the south end and shallows off in the
north. The valley is bounded on the south and on the east by hills in
the Sundridge Park, Elmstead, Chislehurst and Eltham areas, and on the
west by a range in the Crystal Palace, Upper Sydenham and Dulwich
areas, a ridge of which runs along towards Brockley. Atmospheric
pollution would tend to linger in the southern part of the borough and
if there were any movement of air from the east it might build up
against the Sydenham Hills and affect particularly the Lower Sydenham
district. I have been informed that although at and near ground level
there was almost complete calm during the four days, it was noticeable
that at a height (e.g. at the top of tall chimneys of a power station in
another borough of London) there was a mild air current from the
north-east.
With regard to (3), poisoning from atmospheric pollution, one
immediately thinks of the gas works at Bell Green, but when the deaths
were spotted on a map there appeared to be no abnormal concentration
of them in the immediate neighbourhood. This however does not fully
rule out the possibility of the gas works being concerned (see Ward figures
below). The domestic grate is another source of potential atmospheric