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

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City of Westminster 1964

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

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48
Estimation of sulphur activity by the lead peroxide method
The cylinders for the estimation of sulphur activity are situated at
Mount Street Gardens, Bessborough Street Clinic, and Alhambra
House.

The following table gives the degree of sulphation expressed in empirical units, viz., milligrams of sulphur trioxide per day per 100 square centimetres of standard lead peroxide exposed in the standard apparatus.

MonthS03 in milligrams per 100 sq. cms. per day
MayfairPimlicoCharing Cross
January1.683.393.31
February2.031.951.98
March2.182.231.16
April2.874.744.26
May2.012.842.83
June1.441.852.04
July1.131.971.94
August1.201.711.70
September1.722.212.77
October4.143.215.22
November4.795.065.56
December5.396.576.62

Estimate of sulphur content by the volumetric method
In 1929, the City Council was apprehensive of the possible danger to
public health by the pollution of atmosphere likely to arise from the
emission of flue gases from the large power stations which were to be
erected in close proximity to the south western boundaries of the City—
namely Battersea and Fulham. Accordingly, in 1930, an atmospheric
pollution measuring apparatus was installed in Westminster, and the
results obtained have been regularly reported to the Public Health
Committee since that date.
In 1960 the City Council felt that it would be useful if additional
information were obtained concerning the pollution of the atmosphere,
particularly in the Pimlico area. A further atmospheric pollution
measuring apparatus was, therefore, purchased and installed in April,
1960, on the top of a block of flats in Churchill Gardens.