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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
Leyton 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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75
INVESTIGATION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION.
A description of the procedure adopted for the systematic
measurement of the concentration of atmospheric smoke and sulphur
dioxide was given in my Report for 1950. Observations, which were
begun in March, 1950, have continued to be made daily. The
recording apparatus is installed at the Public Health Department,
Sidmouth Road, Leyton.
The following tables show the results recorded during the
twelve months ended 31st December, 1952, together with the
corresponding figures for 1951:—
CONCENTRATION OP SMOKE EXPRESSED IN MILLIGRAMS PER 100 CUBIC METRES.
| Month | Monthly average | Highest daily average | Lowest daily average | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1952 | 1951 | 1952 | 1951 | 1952 | |
| January | 40.4 | 35.3 | 120.5 | 89.7 | 10.9 | 14.4 |
| February | 38.0 | 43.7 | 97.7 | 79.6 | 17.7 | 17.5 |
| March | 35.8 | 30.6 | 154.1 | 110.5 | 11.9 | 12.7 |
| April | 16.6 | 17.6 | 37.1 | 36.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| May | 12.2 | 5.8 | 45.9 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| June | 3.5 | 5.0 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 0.4 | 2.9 |
| July | 4.2 | 3.5 | 9.7 | 7.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| August | 6.2 | 5.6 | 10.5 | 12.5 | 3.3 | 1.4 |
| September | 8.5 | 10.3 | 16.9 | 20.1 | 0.6 | 5.1 |
| October | 28.3 | 26.2 | 82.6 | 111.9 | 5.7 | 8.4 |
| November | 32.3 | 39.0 | 73.3 | 94.6 | 11.6 | 5.7 |
| December | 48.9 | 59.5 | 172.7 | 219.5 | 12.5 | 8.1 |
CONCENTRATION OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE EXPRESSED AS PARTS PER
100 MILLION.
| Month | Monthly average | Highest daily average | Lowest daily average | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1952 | 1951 | 1952 | 1951 | 1952 | |
| January | 11.5 | 8.5 | 42.6 | 20.1 | 4.9 | 4.5 |
| February | 9.4 | 10.7 | 24.1 | 29.9 | 4.1 | 4.3 |
| March | 7.3 | 7.1 | 21.4 | 16.5 | 2.7 | 1.6 |
| April | 3.9 | 5.5 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 |
| May | 1.7 | 2.7 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| June | 1.5 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 1.7 |
| July | 1.7* | 1.8 | 3.5* | 4.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| August | 2.6* | 2.5 | 4.0* | 4.6 | 1.2* | 0.9 |
| September | 3.9 | 3.6 | 7.2 | 6.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| October | 8.3 | 6.7 | 18.8 | 15.3 | 2.0 | 3.6 |
| November | 9.5 | 8.7 | 16.0 | 22.4 | 4.6 | 3.4 |
| December | 11.4 | 17.1 | 38.2 | 64.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
* Estimated figures