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been felt most in the postponement of new undertakings, particularly the preliminary
surveys in connection with the "Smoke Control" areas under the Clean Air Act
to which reference is made in the body of the report.
Nuisance from the pollution of the river has been investigated during the
year and I have formed the very definite opinion that the sulphur containing
effluents from Power Stations employing flue gas washing are seriously implicated
through slightly raising the temperature of the water and increasing the amount
of sulphate to critical levels which favour the growth of a particular group of
anaerobic bacteria which utilize the sulphates and reduce them to produce hydrogen
sulphide which is the cause of the stinking black condition of the water and of
the darkening of light colour paints on craft in the vicinity of the river.
No serious outbreaks of food poisoning were reported during the year but
there were several minor outbreaks of dysentery due to Shigella sonnei referred
to in the body of the report, which were rapidly contained as a result of vigorous
action as soon as the cause was apparent.
Last year mention was made of the relationship between smoking habits and
cancer of the lung. Further research all over the world has confirmed this relationship
and also that the giving up of smoking or lessening the amount of tobacco
taken, particularly in the form of cigarettes, gives a definite chance of delay
in the onset of this condition and even the possibility of its avoidance if given
up soon enough. I am happy to say that the deaths from cancer of the lung in the
Borough were slightly below that of last year and I can only hope that this is
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