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 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]
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The readings are taken every 24 hours.
Details of these readings are set out over leaf.
| 1963 | Concentration of Smoke Micrograms per cubic Metre. Average daily value. | Concentration of Sulphur Dioxide, Micrograms per Cubic Metre. Average daily value. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (A) | (B) | (C) | (A) | (B) | (C) | |
| January | 165 | 276 | 198 | 325 | 445 | 251 |
| February | 125 | 217 | 220 | 557 | 1104 | 380 |
| March | 61 | 85 | 80 | 187 | 166 | 169 |
| April | 46 | 55 | 58 | 132 | 156 | 122 |
| May | 26 | 54 | 74 | - | 66 | |
| June | 17 | 36 | 21 | 69 | 48 | 64 |
| July | 12 | 19 | 28 | 58 | 24 | 53 |
| August | 20 | 28 | 31 | 11 | 57 | 55 |
| September | 17 | 43 | 45 | 19 | 51 | 65 |
| October | 50 | 430 | 63 | 65 | 106 | 143 |
| November | 74 | - | 95 | 106 | - | 194 |
| December | 84 | - | 90 | 178 | - | 232 |
(A) Latymer School.
(B) Mandeville School.
(C) Huxley School.
The 1963 readings make it very clear that the worst fouling
of the air is by the domestic chimney. The highest readings in each
case were during the months of January and February, when the weather
was cold and those who were able to obtain coal piled it on the home
fire as high as they could.
The pollution contributed by factory chimneys is probably
represented by the September figures, and it can be seen that the
addition of the smoke from the home chimneys at least doubles the reading.