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 London 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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A critical examination of the air in the City was commenced in the year 1914,
in conjunction with the Committee for the Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution,
appointed by the International Exhibition and Conference in London, 1912, and an
apparatus consisting of a large rain gauge is mounted upon the roof of one of the
Corporation's buildings in Golden Lane, and the rain.water from a known area of
surface is collected monthly. This rain.water, containing the soot, grit and dust
washed from the air, has been submitted for examination to the Public Analyst and
the results tabulated. For comparison the results obtained from similar observations
made at the Archbishop's Park, Lambeth, by the London County Council are
added.
SUMMARY OF MONTHLY OBSERVATIONS AND REPORTS DURING THE YEAR 1921.
| Month of the Year 1921. | Place. | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall in millimetres. | Metric tons of deposit per square kilometre during month. | ||||||||||
| Insoluble matter. | Soluble matter. | Total solids. | Included in soluble matter. | ||||||||
| Tar. | Carbonaceous other than tar. | Ash. | Loss on ignition. | Ash. | Sulphate as (SO3). | Chlorine (Cl) | Ammonia (NH3). | ||||
| January | City of London | 51 | 0.05 | 2.57 | 3.40 | 0.81 | 3.66 | 10.49 | 1.65 | 0.86 | 0.11 |
| Lambeth | 46 | 0.09 | 1.43 | 1.67 | 1.02 | 1.97 | 6.18 | 1.29 | 0.49 | 0.12 | |
| February | City of London | 6 | 0.05 | 2.26 | 2.94 | 0.59 | 2.18 | 8.02 | 0.87 | 0.36 | 0.06 |
| Lambeth | 5 | 0.03 | 0.19 | 0.48 | 0.79 | 1.63 | 3.12 | 3.93 | 0.22 | 0.02 | |
| March | City of London | 25 | 0.05 | 2.52 | 3 .75 | 1.12 | 2.13 | 9.57 | 0.86 | 0.81 | 0.09 |
| Lambeth | 26 | 0.11 | 3.48 | 4.49 | 1.25 | 2.13 | 11.46 | 1.26 | 0.59 | 0.10 | |
| April | City of London | 13 | 0.10 | 4.80 | 6.13 | 1.40 | 3.99 | 16.42 | 1.90 | 0.82 | 0.14 |
| Lambeth | 31 | 0.50 | 10.43 | 21.38 | 1.37 | 2.62 | 36.30 | 1.25 | 0.67 | 0.11 | |
| May | City of London | 27 | 0.04 | 3.19 | 3.51 | 1.85 | 3.15 | 11.74 | 1.12 | 1.14 | 0.12 |
| Lambeth | 23 | 0.03 | 0.80 | 0.85 | 1.40 | 1.92 | 5.00 | 0.90 | 0.71 | 0.10 | |
| June | City of London | 12 | 0.02 | 2.92 | 3.14 | 0.98 | 1.83 | 8.89 | 0.63 | 101 | 0.16 |
| Lambeth | 5 | 0.05 | 0.18 | 0.92 | 0.81 | 3.27 | 5.23 | 0.49 | 0.42 | 0.04 | |
| July | City of London | 4 | 0.01 | 2.05 | 2.55 | 1 .19 | 1.48 | 7.28 | 0.35 | 1.08 | 0.22 |
| Lambeth | 1 | 0.08 | 2.02 | 3.80 | 0.84 | 1.50 | 8.24 | insutiicient quantities to estimate | |||
| August | City of London | 23 | 0.05 | 5.96 | 4.41 | 1 . 72 | 2.18 | 14.32 | 0.94 | 1.10 | 0.23 |
| Lambeth | 20 | 0.04 | 1.36 | 2.12 | 3.36 | 1.74 | 8.62 | 0.89 | 0.58 | 0.14 | |
| September | City of London | 51 | 0. 05 | 3.06 | 2.36 | 1 .65 | 2.68 | 10.70 | 1.20 | 1.08 | 0.65 |
| Lambeth | 49 | 0.06 | 1.15 | 2.07 | 0.83 | 0.30 | 4.41 | 0.63 | 0.52 | 0.16 | |
| October | City of London | 19 | 0.08 | 2.44 | 3.43 | 1.37 | 1.83 | 9.15 | 0.91 | 0.52 | 013 |
| Lambeth | 17 | 0.11 | 3.18 | 4.20 | 1.10 | 2.41 | 1.10 | 1.21 | 0.33 | 0.08 | |
| November | City of London | 49 | 0.08 | 4.80 | 5.86 | 2.54 | 5.09 | 18.37 | 2.62 | 1 .41 | 0.37 |
| Lambeth | 47 | 0.19 | 3.27 | 3.41 | 1.70 | 3.76 | 12.33 | 1.96 | 0.55 | 0.26 | |
| December | City of London | 26 | 0.05 | 2.33 | 319 | 1.35 | 2.18 | 9.10 | 0.89 | 0.91 | 0.21 |
| Lambeth | 24 | 0.15 | 3.47 | 5.33 | 1.27 | 1.88 | 12.10 | 1.05 | 0.40 | 0.10 | |
The foregoing table shows the rainfall for the months of January to December
of the year 1921, and the amounts found of insoluble matter, tar, soot and dust,
also the soluble matter, together with the sulphates, ammonia and chlorine in the
volume collected.
The results as given by the Public Analyst have been re.calculated into metric
tons per square kilometre during each month.
One metric ton per square kilometre is equivalent approximately to 9 lbs. per
acre, or 2.56 tons per square mile. Although the presence of much impurity in the
atmosphere has been long known the figures given represent a definite record of the
facts.
In examining the foregoing table it will be appreciated that in the month of
November only, the amount of deposit registered as falling in the City amounted to
1837 tons per square kilometre, which is equal (estimating the City as having an
area of one square mile) to no less than about 47 tons avoirdupois.
Of this mass of dirt, approximately 27½ tons were soluble, and included the
chemicals mentioned, and 19½ tons were insoluble and consisted of tar, carbon
and grit.
In addition to the foregoing, a daily observation has been made at mid.day at
the Guildhall of the purity of the air by a modern dry method, by which the
suspended matter can be readily demonstrated.