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
Leyton 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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7. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
(i) SMOKE ABATEMENT
99 observations were made as to quantities of smoke emitted from chimneys of industrial
and commercial premises. Written intimations were sent to the managements of a number
of business undertakings regarding excessive smoke and grit emission.
(ii) DAILY RECORDS
The following tables show the results recorded during the twelve months ended March.
1958 divided into "Summer" and "Winter" periods. The average results for the 7-year period
ended March, 1957 are also shown for comparison.
CONCENTRATION OF SMOKE EXPRESSED IN MILLIGRAMS PER 100 CUBIC METRES
| MONTH | MONTHLY AVERAGE | HIGHEST DAILY AVERAGE | LOWEST DAILY AVERAGE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950/57 | 1957/58 | 1950/57 | 1957/58 | 1950/57 | 1957/58 | |
| April | 17.4 | 20.4 | 40.2 | 54.1 | 7.2 | 9.3 |
| May | 8.0 | 9.2 | 21.9 | 15.8 | 2.5 | 2.9 |
| June | 4.6 | 5.8 | 9.3 | 13.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| July | 3.8 | 5.5 | 8.3 | 11.2 | 1.1 | 2.1 |
| August | 5.2 | 6.6 | 9.3 | 15.6 | 2.6 | 1.1 |
| September | 7.7 | 8.9 | 17.9 | 19.5 | 2.8 | 4.1 |
| SUMMER AVERAGE | 7.8 | 9.4 | 17.8 | 21.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| October | 24.9 | 24.7 | 78.9 | 52.6 | 6.5 | 9.5 |
| November | 37.8 | 35.5 | 100.8 | 83.0 | 12.1 | 13.4 |
| December | 43.0 | 56.8 | 120.8 | 234.3 | 12.4 | 9.9 |
| January | 38.9 | 38.3 | 110.0 | 94.3 | 14.0 | 12.1 |
| February | 36.0 | 26.0 | 78.2 | 47.5 | 16.1 | 10.3 |
| March | 28.8 | 29.2 | 83.3 | 61.5 | 11.3 | 14.9 |
| WINTER AVERAGE | 34.9 | 35.1 | 95.3 | 95.5 | 12.1 | 11.7 |
| CONCENTRATION OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE EXPRESSED AS PARTS 100 PER MILLION | ||||||
| MONTH | MONTHLY AVERAGE | HIGHEST DAILY AVERAGE | LOWEST DAILY AVERAGE | |||
| 1950/57 | 1957/58 | 1950/57 | 1957/58 | 1950/57 | 1957/58 | |
| April | 5.7 | 5.7 | 13.6 | 18.3 | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| May | 3.0 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 8.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| June | 2.5 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 6.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| July | 2.2 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 |
| August | 2.8 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 |
| September | 3.7 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| SUMMER AVERAGE | 3.3 | 4.0 | 6.9 | 8.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| October | 7.7 | 9.0 | 17.9 | 15.7 | 3.1 | 4.4 |
| November | 11.3 | 10.1 | 25.9 | 20.0 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| December | 12.9 | 17.2 | 32.4 | 75.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 |
| January | 11.4 | 12.9 | 31.9 | 30.6 | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| February | 10.3 | 9.3 | 23.7 | 16.1 | 5.0 | 5.8 |
| March | 8.2 | 9.3 | 17.9 | 20.9 | 3.3 | 4.9 |
| WINTER AVERAGE | 10.3 | 11.3 | 25.0 | 29.8 | 4.3 | 4.8 |
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