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
Erith 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]
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(a) The Erith Borough Council is represented on the Thameside Advisory Committee for the Abatement of Atmospheric Pollution. In this connection a deposit gauge and a lead peroxide gauge is in position at the grounds of the Royal Alfred Institution, and the analysis of the contents of these gauges for 1956 is as follows:
| Month | Rain in inches | Insoluble deposit Tons per sq. mile | Soluble deposit Tons per sq mile | Total Solids Tons per sq. mile | Calcium Tons per sq. mile | Sulphur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mg/100 sq cms/day | ||||||
| 2.81 | 7.40 | 7.60 | 15.0 | 1.73 | 3.56 | |
| February | Gauge disturbed -No analysis | 3.28 | ||||
| March | 1.02 | 14.73 | 15.97 | 30.70 | 3.47 | 2.00 |
| April | 1.27 | 13.85 | 11.41 | 25.26 | 2.50 | 1.68 |
| May June | 0.52 | 9.25 | 5.50 | 14.75 | 0.97 | 1.40 |
| 2.07 | 9.38 | 4.34 | 13.72 | 0.60 | 1.00 | |
| Gauge broken —No analysis 12.20 7.87 20.07 | 0.93 | |||||
| August September | 4.08 | 0.77 | ||||
| 2.07 | 7.70 | 9.46 | 17.16 | 2.01 | 0.88 | |
| 1.11 | 9.13 | 8.05 | 17.18 | 1.58 | 2.15 | |
| 0.63 | 10.52 | 7.58 | 18.10 | 1.34 | 3.48 | |
| 2.32 | 11.61 | 8.05 | 19.66 | 1.28 | 2.23 | |
0>) The smog of January 1956.
During the fog which covered many parts of the country
between 4th and 7th January, measurements of air pollution
were organised by the Fuel Research Station of D.S.I.R. in
L«ndon, and also in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds,
Salford, and Sheffield. The concentration of various pollutants
varied considerably from hour to hour and from point
tc point due to fluctuations in meteorological conditions and
amounts of emission from Chimneys in the areas. The concentrations
of smoke and sulphur ranged from very small
Mounts to two or three times the overall average figures
'nr the period of the smog. In the London area, the smoke
c°ntent of the atmosphere averaged about 90 per cent, and
ttle sulphur dioxide content about 70 per cent of those
horded during the great smog of 1952, or three or four
the normal for that time of the year. In addition to the
f'Wer degree of pollution, the smog was of considerably
porter duration than that of 1952. It was duly recorded
'jat the average amounts of smoke and sulphur dioxide in
llle air of the other towns were similar to those in London.