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SCIENTIFIC BRANCH
the work of the branch is carried out in three groups of laboratories. At the County
Hall headquarters work is undertaken on foods, meals, trade effluents, atmospheric
pollution, detergents, laundries, paints and decorative materials, statutory work on
many Acts and Orders, fuels and all types of oils, building materials, waters of many
kinds, etc. The Northern and Southern Outfall laboratories, situated at Beckton and
Crossness respectively, are concerned with obtaining scientific data for the control of the
sewage treatment processes and ancillary plant and, in addition, at all laboratories research
on important 'domestic' matters is undertaken. It may be noticed that the branch has
been renamed because its field of activity has, in the interests of the Council, extended
beyond that normally considered as chemistry and the more general title conveys more
readily the scope and the nature of the advice available. The Scientific Adviser submits
the following summary of his annual report:
The ever-increasing demand for scientific advice resulting from the growing appreciation
of the financial advantages to be gained has its repercussions in local government
and officers of the Council consult the branch more frequently than in the past in an
increasing range of subjects. Although a wide range of experience is available in the
branch, it could not be claimed that advice on any question can always be given
immediately but generally the senior officers have means whereby in a relatively short
time authoritative information can be obtained, if necessary, from sources outside the
service by utilising the government and other research associations, consulting specialists
in the particular field and disentangling claims and facts. Research work on a problem
is pursued when the financial aspects warrant it and a strict watch is maintained to utilise
the available scientific manpower in the service to the very best advantage. The research
projects pursued in all the laboratories, the advice given on processes and methods and
the watch maintained on deliveries and materials used on sites, constitute a considerable
financial asset to the Council whilst figuratively providing an insurance premium against
low standard products and claims against the Council and, furthermore, the branch
provides the evidence to ensure the compliance with the requirements of the many Acts
and Orders which the Council has to administer.
Synopsis of work done
The total number of samples examined was 26,562, which exceeds by 1,294 that of the
previous year. This number does not indicate the full extent of the work because it
takes no account of the advisory and consultative work undertaken by the senior
officers which may not require the examination of samples and, furthermore, for the
most part research projects cannot be numbered, except to assist in their subsequent
identification. This advisory service has developed rapidly in the last few years and,
serving as it does to give an opinion, frequently informally, on materials to be used,
must tend to reduce maintenance costs appreciably. It is important that this liaison with
user departments should be encouraged for the use of unsuitable materials can cause,
in the future, considerable replacement costs and so frequently only by scientific appraisal
can they be known to be unsuitable.
The following sections of this report deal in greater detail with many aspects of the
work done and the following table summarises the number of samples examined.
Air—tunnels 260
Air—miscellaneous 6
Bacteriological, miscellaneous 160
Building materials 498
Chemicals, drugs and medical supplies 105
Clay, sub-soils and borehole waters 1,597
Compost 2
Detergents and soaps 148
Disinfectants 25
Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs 110
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