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
Edmonton 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]
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SUMMARY OF ANALYSES
| 1962 | Rainfall in Inches | DEPOSIT IN TONS PER SQUARE MILE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insoluble Deposits | Ash | Soluble Deposits | Total Solids | ||
| (a) | (a) | (a) | (a) | ||
| Jan. | 3.12 | 2.72 | 1.05 | 8.68 | 11.40 |
| Feb. | 0. 55 | 1.51 | 0.59 | 3.00 | 4.51 |
| Mar. | 1.54 | 8.56 | 4.84 | 6.20 | 14.76 |
| Apr. | 1.77 | 4.53 | 3.00 | 4.50 | 9.03 |
| May | 1.38 | 7.65 | 4.33 | 6.28 | 13.93 |
| June | 0.21 | 3.70 | 2.55 | 1.53 | 5.23 |
| July | 3.33 | 6.23 | 4.22 | 4.18 | 10.41 |
| Aug. | 1.30 | 6.45 | 4.13 | 3.37 | 9.82 |
| Sept. | 2.70 | 8.05 | 5.69 | 5.91 | 13.96 |
| Oct. | 1.74 | 5.06 | 3.07 | 5.06 | 10.12 |
| Nov. | 1.52 | 6.20 | 3.88 | 7.73 | 13.93 |
| Dec. | 2.03 | 9.36 | 6.17 | 2.80 | 12.16 |
| TOTAL | 21.19 | 70.02 | 43.52 | 59.24 | 129.26 |
(a) Town Hall. Site No.2
Site No.l Discontinued 1.1.62
The deposit gauge does not accurately measure pollution of the air itself.
It is the dust and grit falling through the air that it records, and it tends
therefore to be pollution from industrial sources that is mainly shown in deposit
gauge results.
A more accurate measure of air pollution is given by a volumetric filter
which measures smoke and sulphur dioxide in the air. Continuous flow of air is
pumped through the instrument and daily the sulphur dioxide is chemically
measured and the stain produced by smoke measured by means of a filter paper.
A third smoke filter was installed at Huxley School on 1st January, 1962. Details
of the readings of the 3 recorders are set out overleaf.
Two further filters will be installed so as to give adequate information
on atmospheric pollution in the Borough; when the new apparatus is installed,
the use of the remaining deposit gauge will be discontinued.
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