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 1925
[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. 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 shown in the attached
table.
The table also shows the rainfall for the months of January to December of the year
1925 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 table it will be appreciated that in the month of February only, the
amount of deposit registered as falling in the City amounted to 22.27 tons per square kilometre,
which is equal (estimating the City as having an area of one square mile) to no less
than about 57 tons avoirdupois.
Of this mass of dirt, approximately 26.3 tons were soluble, and included the chemicals
mentioned, and 30.7 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.
From the 1st January until the 31st December the amount of the impurity at noon
has varied from half a milligramme to six milligrammes per cubic metre of air; this latter
figure includes times when there has been a fog.
SUMMARY OF MONTHLY OBSERVATIONS AND REPORTS DURING THE YEAR 1925.
| Month of the Year 1925. | 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 (S03). | Chlorine (Cl) | Ammonia (NH3). | ||||
| January | City of London | 40 | 0.06 | 2.60 | 3.72 | 1.70 | 3.40 | 11.48 | 1.86 | 0.97 | 0.15 |
| Lambeth (Archbishop's Park) | 64 | 0.13 | 1.87 | 2.06 | 1.21 | 4.35 | 10.22 | 2.47 | 0.75 | 0.18 | |
| February | City of London | 58 | 0.05 | 5.80 | 6.16 | 2.80 | 7.46 | 22.27 | 3.36 | 1.45 | 0.28 |
| Lambeth | 67 | 0.07 | 2.52 | 3.90 | 1.53 | 3.09 | 11.11 | 1.55 | 0.59 | 0.19 | |
| March | City of London | 13 | 0.05 | 4.18 | 6.17 | 1.28 | 2.90 | 14.58 | 1.31 | 0.70 | 0.08 |
| Lambeth | 14 | 0.17 | 2.58 | 4.49 | 0.29 | 2.60 | 10.13 | 1.00 | 0.32 | 0.07 | |
| April | City of London | 34 | 0.05 | 5.71 | 8.41 | 2.76 | 3.86 | 20.79 | 1.85 | 0.93 | 0.19 |
| Lambeth | 39 | 0.06 | 3.87 | 6.81 | 1.39 | 3.76 | 15.89 | 1 .58 | 0.53 | 0.24 | |
| May | City of London | 26 | 0.02 | 2.59 | 3.90 | 1.25 | 2.86 | 10.62 | 1.41 | 0.68 | 0.17 |
| Lambeth | 30 | 0.11 | 2.76 | 3.06 | 0.69 | 2.92 | 9.51 | 1.30 | 0.37 | 0.11 | |
| June | City of London | 3 | 0.01 | 1.15 | 2.48 | 0.52 | 0.82 | 4.98 | 0.40 | 0.19 | 0.06 |
| Lambeth | 2 | 0.03 | 0.66 | 0.69 | 0.26 | 0.55 | 2.19 | 0.25 | * | * | |
| July | City of London | 71 | 0.03 | 3.91 | 6.23 | 4.27 | 5.70 | 20.14 | 2.83 | 1.10 | 0.51 |
| Lambeth | 86 | 0.17 | 3.41 | 6.88 | 1.63 | 2.75 | 14.84 | 1.70 | 0.53 | 0.22 | |
| August | City of London | 51 | 0.02 | 3.11 | 5.57 | 2.55 | 3.77 | 15.02 | 2.10 | 0.50 | 0.25 |
| Lambeth | 67 | 0.10 | 2.48 | 3.77 | 1.34 | 1 .94 | 9.63 | 1.26 | 0.39 | 0.12 | |
| September | City of London | 39 | 0.04 | 4.01 | 6.30 | 2.01 | 5.73 | 18.09 | 2.50 | 0.69 | 0.23 |
| Lambeth | 53 | 0.14 | 2.48 | 4.11 | 1.17 | 3.10 | 11.0 | 1.71 | 0.43 | 0.03 | |
| October | City of London | 69 | 0.03 | 2.18 | 3.34 | 1.96 | 4.13 | 11.64 | 2.28 | 0.68 | 0.22 |
| Lambeth | 73 | 0.17 | 2.79 | 4.31 | 2.05 | 4.13 | 13.15 | 2.27 | 0.66 | 0.23 | |
| November | City of London | 36 | 0.08 | 2.60 | 4.39 | 1.44 | 3.63 | 12.14 | 1.59 | 0.59 | 0.14 |
| Lambeth | 34 | 0.10 | 1.48 | 1.53 | 1.18 | 2.13 | 6.42 | 1.30 | 0.35 | 0.10 | |
| December | City of London | 60 | 0.07 | 3.84 | 6.17 | 3.34 | 5.25 | 18.66 | 2.29 | 1.27 | 0.36 |
| Lambeth | 71 | 0.28 | 5.53 | 11.90 | 1.71 | 5. 49 | 24.91 | 2.46 | 0.99 | 0.23 | |
* Not sufficient material to average.