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
Woolwich 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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has a visiting scheme with a panel of 30 or so visitors, and an average of 60 visits
per week are made to old people living alone and also to others staying at Plumstead
Lodge. Small services such as shopping, reading, writing letters, the drawing of
pensions and the repair of wireless sets, etc. are performed by the visitor. The
names of those old people who would like a visitor are forwarded to the Woolwich
Council of Social Service from several sources.
Recording and Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution.
During 1953, the setting up of five stations for the measurement and recording
of atmospheric pollution was carried out in the Borough. Each station consists of
a deposit gauge which collects grit, ash, etc., and a lead peroxide instrument which
measures the activity of sulphurous gases.
Monthly readings are taken and the results made available to the Department
of Scientific and Industrial Research. The five stations in the Borough are located
on suitable sites in Warspite Road (Dockyard area), the Municipal Offices, Abbey
Wood omnibus garage, Shooters Hill Golf Club, and the fifth station in the Eltham
High Street area. In order to arrive at reliable figures, it is necessary to take
readings over long periods, and therefore too much stress should not be placed on
monthly fluctuations. Four of the five stations were working by the end of August,
1953.
The results of the monthly readings to the end of the year are as follows:—
| Station. | Weight of SO3 Collected mg/100 sq. cm./day. | Total Solid Matter Collected. Monthly deposit in tons per sq. mile. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| No. 1 Woolwich Dockyard | 1.76 | 1.93 | 2.77 | 2.42 | 3.53 | 38.38 | 36.28 | 52.60 | 21.04 | 50.59 |
| No. 2 Municipal Offices | 1.74 | 2.09 | 3.14 | 3.55 | 4.07 | 18.08 | 17.00 | 27.03 | 11.28 | 27.93 |
| No. 3 Abbey Wood Omnibus Garage | - | - | - | - | 3.35 | - | - | - | - | 31.46 |
| No. 4 Shooters Hill Golf Club | 1.35 | 1.64 | 2.60 | 2.91 | 3.62 | 12.58 | 24.28 | 18.58 | 8.14 | 20.01 |
| No. 5 Eltham High Street Area | 0.51 | 0.59 | 1.28 | 1.27 | 2.04 | 7.73 | 10.20 | 13.68 | 5.41 | 17.77 |
| Other Stations in County or London | ||||||||||
| Highest | 4.31 | 5.16 | 5.22 | 8.64 | 7.95 | 73.03 | 169.66 | 647.63 | 569.81 | 100.71 |
| Lowest | 0.36 | 0.42 | 0.70 | 1.24 | 1.75 | 7.65 | 9.94 | 13.68 | 5.17 | 13.57 |
Atmospheric Pollution.
A total of 292 observations were made on factory premises during the year to
detect smoke nuisances and nuisances from grit, dust, etc., being emitted from
premises within the Borough.
Following observations at a factory on the riverside which was found to be
emitting smoke, including grit particles, a formal notice was served on the management.
Alterations to the plant, which was thought to be the cause of this nuisance,
were effected, and there was a material improvement immediately.
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