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27
CONGRESSES.
ROYAL SANITARY INSTITUTE AT GLASGOW.
ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT FRANKFURT.
SANITARY INSPECTORS' ASSOCIATION AT BRIDLINGTON.
The Congresses organised by the above-mentioned Institutes and Association were
attended by representatives of the City Corporation. Continuing evidence of the utility
of attendance at these Congresses was amply afforded.
HYGIENE OF HAIRDRESSERS' AND BARBERS' SHOPS.
A system of voluntary registration of hairdressers' establishments with the Department
of the Medical Officer of Health was instituted in 1904.
The following is a list of establishments at present on the register:—
Alfred Kingston, 8 and 10, Ludgate Arcade.
Charles Lehman, 8 and 9, Aldermanbury Postern.
Thos. W. Monk, 5, Angel Court.
Ed. Hy. Price, 69, Fore Street.
Samuel & Harry Cohen, trading as Cohen & Co., 120, Newgate Street.
SMOKE AND ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION.
Sixteen complaints of smoke nuisance or annoyance from chimneys were dealt with
during the year, and in connection with these 102 observations were made and one intimation
notice served upon the responsible person. Many of the offences were of a temporary
character and did not recur. There has been no occasion to take further action.
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 Meteorological Office, South Kensington, on the west, and Victoria Park, on the east
of the rain gauge at Golden Lane, are shown in the attached table.
The table also shows the rainfall for the months of January to December of the year
1931, 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.
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-milligramme to seven-and-a-half milligrammes per cubic metre of air ;
this latter figure includes times when there has been a fog.
From 1915 to 1926, Dr. Owens informs us, the increase of gas consumed in the Metropolis
was 22,599,000 cub. ft. This is equivalent to 7,800 tons of sulphur had coal been
burned, whereas the gas contained only 430 tons—a difference representing 18,425 tons of
sulphuric acid.
Obviously, modern methods of heating and illumination affect not only the presence
of particulate matter in the atmosphere and a precedent and intensifier of fog, but also that
damaging element sulphuric acid.