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schoolchildren in a neighbouring district and have been impressed
by the grasp shown by them in regard to the hazard of lung cancer
in relation to smoking Nevertheless, although they received the
information in a responsible way. one could not help feeling that
the remoteness of the risk in point of time tended to reduce its
impact for, to a boy or girl of 15, to talk of what may happen
in 30 or 40 years time is somewhat akin to a voyage into eternity.
However, this particular form of health education must continue,
and teachers as well as doctors and health visitors have their
responsibilities, particularly when one bears in mind the seductive
advertisements on television and in the Press which are
designed to inculcate, in the adolescent mind, the impression
that smoking is a sign of emancipation and growing up and a
stepping-stone to social ease and acceptance
In considering lung diseases in general and perhaps chronic
bronchitis in particular, one must not forget that the abatement
of atmospheric pollution is one of the most important tasks facing
both central and local government at the present time In a way
this problem is comparable in its complexity with the cleaning
up of urban water supplies in the 19th century and just as important
The Clean Air Act, 1956 grants, among its many provisions,
permissive powers to local authorities to declare smoke control
areas in which only smokeless fuels will be burnt in suitable
boilers and domestic heating appliances. In Crayford a beginning
has been made, the Council having authorised a pilot survey to
be carried out in a selected area with a view to obtaining reliable
information as to the cost of replacing unsuitable appliances
and adapting others to make them capable of burning smokeless
fuels It took over 50 years to provide a clean and safe water
supply to the great towns thus ridding the population of such
diseases as cholera, typhoid and dysentery By sustained and
determined action in regard to clean air one may similarly see,
in years to come, a reduction in lung diseases which are responsible
for so much mortality and illhealth, as well as the removal,
from the atmosphere, of pollution which causes much unnecessary
work for the harassed housewife and does untold damage to vegetation
and the fabric of buildings.. We have, now installed, in the
Health Department, a volumetric apparatus for the daily estimation
of sulphur dioxide (one of the most lethal constituents of
smoke and figures are being collected which will serve as a guide
to future action in regard to smoke abatement
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