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14
The temporary parking place for motor coaches in Cosway Street was again the subject of numerous
complaints of noise and other nuisances. Renewed protests were made about annoyance caused by
the starting up of engines and shouting of passengers lasting long into the night, and the effect upon
the sleep and comfort of nearby residents. The site was first used as a coach park in 1950 under
planning permission granted by the London County Council, who own part of the land. Subsequently,
in view of the repeated complaints, the Borough Council urged the County Council not to renew their
consent to its continued use, and eventually occupation of the site was restricted and no further
complaints were received.
Atmospheric Pollution.—One hundred and eighty-one observations were made on a total of 77 premises.
Twenty-four complaints were received in respect of smoke and/or grit nuisances arising from 13
premises, relating to hospitals, commercial undertakings, a block of flats, private houses, and to the
two electricity generating stations. With the exception of those arising from the last named and a
milk depot, the nuisances, although recurrent in some instances, were abated after informal action.
The question of atmospheric pollution, more especially from grit emissions, in the vicinity of the
electricity generating stations in Aberdeen Place and Lodge Road, was dealt with at length in last
year's report, where it was stated that, following discussions with the British Electricity Authority
and assurances by them that they would do all in their power to keep to a minimum the emission of
grit from the two stations, it had been decided to continue observations and to review the whole
position should that become necessary. Further investigation suggested that, in addition to the more
obvious nuisance from grit and other carbon particles, serious troubles were being caused by the
presence of sulphurous fumes. These fumes are a normal constituent of flue gases and unless specially
removed at source or efficiently discharged at high level to disperse into the upper atmosphere they
can, when produced in large quantities, cause injury to health and damage to property. Apart from
a characteristic choking smell and a tendency to make the eyes water, sulphur dioxide gas is insidious
in its action and is not easy to detect without special apparatus. It is colourless and therefore cannot
itself be seen and may be in process of discharge from a chimney in quantity even when no black smoke
or grit is apparent. It is readily soluble in water and when emitted in association with water vapour,
under certain conditions, the droplets fall in a cloud carrying the gas with them, thereby producing
a local concentration of sulphurous acid. This is one of the most harmful constituents of fog. Moreover,
it is stated that the carbon particles penetrate further in a moist sulphurous mist and so do more
damage and, according to a United States Government report, the deaths of 19 people who died as
a result of exposure to fog in Donora, U.S.A., were found by post-mortem examination to have been
due to the toxic effect of sulphur dioxide fumes which in this instance came from a zinc smelting works.
It is not suggested that the air of St. Marylebone is being contaminated by sulphur gases in such
lethal concentrations but there is little doubt that emanations from the generating stations added
materially to the severity of the local conditions during the severe fog conditions in December, 1952.
Table 7 shows the number of people who died in the Borough during the five weeks ended 3rd January,
1953, together with figures for the corresponding period of the previous year which can be taken as
representing average conditions for the month of December.

It will be seen that there was a marked increase in the number of deaths for December, 1952,
particularly amongst people aged 65 and over and during the week ended 13th December, 1952,
which was the peak fog period. So far as this increase could be attributed to the fog, the deaths were
mainly certified as due to pneumonia or bronchitis but there were in all probability also patients with