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Air Pollutio4n
Three smoke and sulphur dioxide recording stations are in
continuous operation, and are situated at the north of the Borough
(Poplar Town Hall), at Poplar Technical College in the centre of the
borough, and at Millwall Park in the south.
The Public Health Department has continued to co-operate fully
with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. During
periods of fog when heavy pollution may be expected, special recordings
are made.
The Department continued to co-operate with the Thames Hospital
Group Pathologist in a special study of air pollution in hospital
wards. Instruments were provided, maintained and supervised by the
Clean Air Section, and readings were carried out by the Pathologist
and his staff. Owing to the absence of any considerable quantities
of fog this winter, no further significant data, additional to that
collected last year, was obtained. It is anticipated, however, that
these experiments will continue during the next winter.
Hourly Smoke Study
Poplar is one of six Metropolitan Boroughs co-operating with the
College of General Practitioners and the Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research in a special study which seeks information on any
correlation between increases in respiratory disease and air pollution
levels during smog. For this purpose a special sequential smoke
sampler is used, which may be set to operate automatically for periods
of 1, 3 or 24 hours, depending on the density of smog experienced.
Trainee Public Health Inspectors
The Department has an establishment for four Trainee Public
Health Inspectors, and normally two of them are seconded each month
to assist the Clean Air Inspector. Two of these Trainee Public Health
Inspectors qualified in July and were appointed as Public Health
Inspectors, and the two vacancies thus created have not so far been
filled; as a result of which, for approximately six months, the
Clean Air Section had the assistance of only one Trainee instead of
the normal two.
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