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28
CHEMICAL BRANCH
the work of the branch was carried on during the year at the three laboratories at
County Hall and the Northern and Southern Outfall Works, and the Chemist-in-Chief
has submitted the following report:
One of the most important features of the National situation during the year 1952
was the financial stringency which developed, with the consequent need for exercising
strict economy, having due regard, of course, to the preservation of efficiency. In this
introduction it may therefore be appropriate to devote a short space to the consideration,
from this aspect, of the use of the Chemical Branch to the service of the Council. A
good example of the enormous scale on which this operates is in relation to paint; for
200,000 gallons of paint are used each year and, including the labour cost of the work,
more than one million pounds is spent on this operation. The opportunity for effecting
economy by ensuring that only paint of suitable quality is used and early failures thus
prevented is readily apparent. Also many articles, including some foodstuffs, lubricating
oils, polishes, etc., are purchased in large quantities. Tenders are invited for materials
which must comply with quality specifications issued by the Council and samples
submitted with the tenders are examined in the laboratory, the cheapest satisfactory
material being recommended to the Chief Officer of Supplies for acceptance. The work
of the Chemical Branch in the sewage treatment field is of direct economic value; for
example, the development of a chemical method for cleaning air diffuser tiles in the
activated sludge plant showed a large saving as compared with previous procedures.
Other work done by the branch may be classified as 'insurance premiums'; for example,
that on ensuring the satisfactory quality of water supplies (chlorinated) from private
wells and the maintenance of efficient treatment of swimming bath waters. There must
also be borne in mind the statutory work which has to be done in connection with
various Acts administered by the Council; for example, the Fertilisers and Feeding
Stuffs Act, 1926, the Petroleum Consolidation Act, 1928, London Building Act, 1930,
Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, etc. The amount of advisory and consultative
work devolving upon the senior officers of the branch from these and other activities
increased considerably during the year and the very necessary and valuable time spent
on Government committees dealing with matters of interest to the Council also increased;
these committees related, for example, to the condition of the River Thames, Atmospheric
Pollution, Flue Gas Washing at electricity generating stations, etc.
The number of samples received for examination in 1952 showed a considerable
increase and was the largest on record. It amounted to 26,642, as compared with 25,666
in 1951. The classification was:
Air tunnels, etc. 267
Building materials 268
Chemicals, drugs and medical supplies 142
Clay, subsoils and borehole waters 1,265
Detergents and soaps 94
Disinfectants and insecticides 9
Fertilisers and feeding stuffs 106
Floor oils and polishes 53
Fuel (coal and coke) 16
Foods 715
Gases, sludge digestion plant, flue, de-
greasing plants, etc. 412
Insulating materials for hot water
systems 29
Lamps, gas detector 411
Laundry tests 92
Liquor, effluent from gasworks 406
Meals 93
Metals 34
Milk, liquid, condensed, dried 208
Miscellaneous 293
Oils, lubricating, fuel, etc. 60
Paints, varnishes and distempers 2,145
Petroleum and allied samples 98
Plastics 54
Rainwater (atmospheric pollution deposit
gauges) 84
Rubber and rubber substitutes 10
Scouring powders and lavatory cleansers 12
Sewage and effluent 4,637
Sludge, primary, digested and activated 3,178
Sulphur gases and smoke in air 1,956
Water, steam-raising plants 1,794
Water, drinking 1,551
Water, swimming bath 1,231
Water, river 4,823
Water, miscellaneous 96
Total 26,642