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
City of Westminster 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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| Month. | Sulphur trioxide in milligrams per 100 sq. cms. per day. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayfair. | Pimlico. | Charing Cross. | |
| January | 5.52 | 5.01 | 5.06 |
| February | 4.51 | 4.57 | 4.74 |
| March | 3.83 | 5.39 | 4.24 |
| April | 2.14 | 2.67 | 2.64 |
| May | 1.80 | 2.31 | 2.35 |
| June | 1.88 | 2.96 | 1.60 |
| July | 1.36 | 1.92 | 1.75 |
| August | 1.91 | 2.25 | 2.30 |
| September | 2.18 | 3.10 | 2.54 |
| October | 3.19 | 4.01 | 3.69 |
| November | 4.36 | 9.94 | 5.19 |
| December | 7.05 | 5.21 | 6.18 |
Survey of Sulphur Dioxide in the Air by the
Volumetric Method.
Some years ago the Council installed at its Monck Street Depot an
instrument designed for measuring the volume of sulphur dioxide in the
air. Samples, which are taken from the instrument three times a week,
are analysed by one of the Council's Public Analysts, to whom a special
fee is payable for this work. The information so obtained is recorded
by the Council and is also transmitted to the Fuel Research Station of
the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
In April the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research sought
the co.operation of the City Council in a survey it was undertaking of
the distribution of Sulphur Dioxide in the air of South-West London.
The Council agreed to set up two new daily recording plants, one at
Bessborough Street Maternity and Child Welfare Centre and another
at its Farm Street Depot, and to increase the readings to daily ones at
the existing station at Monck Street.
The arrangements were made to extend for a period not exceeding
eighteen months.
Later in the year the Council also agreed to co-operate with the
Department for the analysis of special samples of the air over the City
if periods of SMOG should occur. Fortunately it was unnecessary to
operate this scheme.