View report page

30
Rubbish should not be burned, nor bonfires lit, while the fog lasts.
The general public should refrain from bringing motor cars into densely
populated centres during a serious fog warning. In serious fog drivers of all
motor vehicles should switch off engines whenever traffic is stationary, even
temporarily.
Factories, commercial buildings, hotels, institutions, etc., should immediately
put into effect action to watch and control all stoking of furnaces, and to prevent
smoke.
Steps for Mitigating the Effects of Smog.
Less smog will find its way indoors, and rooms will be kept warmer, if
draughts can be prevented.
Elderly people and those suffering from chronic chest and heart conditions
would be well advised to keep indoors and to rest as much as they can if the fog
is very thick. Those who go out will find that a closely-fitting simple gauze
mask, or a woollen scarf wrapped round the mouth and nose, will give some relief
by filtering out some at least of the solid contents of the smog.
It is emphasised that the measures proposed here are no more than
palliatives to be put into force during the next few winter spending the results of
permanent and satisfactory measures.
In August, 1954, a Special Report on "Mortality and Morbidity during
the London Fog of December, 1952" was published by the Ministry of
Health. It was a Report by a Committee of Departmental Officers and
expert advisers appointed by the Minister; but it was largely confirmatory
of the previous findings, and added little to the Interim Report's conclusion
that there was no evidence to enable us to identify with any certainty the
pollutants and the combination thereof which were responsible for the
particularly harmful nature of the 1952 fog; and the problem still remains of
why that fog was of such a deadly nature compared with previous London fogs.
(b) Final Report.
It is encouraging to note the welcome and publicity given by the national
and local press to the long-awaited Final Report of the Committee on Air
Pollution. In comparison with the rather chilly reception given to the
Committee's Interim Report when it appeared towards the end of the year
1953, the enthusiastic public reception of the Final Report is a good augury
for the future. The directness of the Committee's attack is evident throughout,
and even in the foreword they make their position quite clear. For
example:—
"We wish to state our emphatic belief that air pollution on the scale with
which we are familiar in this country today is a social and economic evil which
should no longer be tolerated"
"We are confident that our proposals, if carried out, will secure happier
and more healthy living conditions for millions of people; and that on all counts
the cost of the cure will be far less than the national loss in allowing the evil to
continue"
"It is basic to all our recommendations that at the outset it should be made
the declared national policy to secure clean air."
The force of these words should at least help to arouse public attention.
These are among the principal recommendations in the Final Report:—
1. Subject to certain exceptions, the emission of dark smoke from any
chimney should be prohibited by law.
2. Efficient grit and dust-arresting plant should be obligatory in certain
large new industrial installations.