London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of Westminster 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

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Table LXXIV.—Smoke Abatement—Results of Observations and Action Taken.

1931.1932.1933.1934.1935.
Complaints received4935635847
Observations taken854629749875830
Notices issued—
Preliminary101110522
Statutory221
Legal Proceedings2

There were no prosecutions in respect of smoke nuisances during 1935.
National Smoke Abatement Society.—The City Council takes an active
interest in the work of this Society. Councillor Mrs. Alderson Home,
as a member of the Public Health Committee, attended its meetings
and annual Conference at Bristol and reported fully to the Committee
on the proceedings.
Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution.-—Department, of Scientific and
Industrial Research, Standing Conference of Co-operating Bodies—This
body consists of representatives of local authorities, industrial undertakings,
scientific societies, &c., actively interested in such investigations.
The Council appointed your Medical Officer of Health and Mr. T.
McLachlan, one of the City's public analysts, as its representatives.
They attended the meetings held in May and November when matters
relating to administration of smoke legislation and research into causes
of atmospheric pollution were discussed.
Atmospheric Pollution.
Investigations on the state of the atmosphere in the City were carried
out during the year and the results obtained are given below.
(1) The soluble and insoluble impurities deposited from the air, or
washed out of the air by rain are collected in "deposit gauges." These
gauges consist of large glass vessels to which are attached collecting
funnels of known area. The deposited impurities together with the
varying quantity of rain water collected in the vessels are examined by
Mr. McLachlan, one of the public analysts, at the end of each month.
The following table shows the results of the monthly analyses of the
impurities collected in the deposit gauges at Mount Street Gardens,
Mayfair, and at the Coroner's Court, Horseferry Road, together with the
result of analyses of deposits from a similar gauge in Finsbury Park for
comparison.