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advice to boiler house stokers, and discussions with managements of factories on individual
causes of pollution had some good effect.
Number of sites of observation 3 (1 atmospheric pollution gauge
and 2 lead peroxide gauges)
Number of complaints of nuisance from smoke, smell
or grit and number of premises concerned 26 complaints re 7 premises
Number of places kept under observation 20
Number of half-hour observations made 159
Number of times black smoke was detected 12
Total time of black smoke emissions 12½ minutes
Number of times moderate smoke observed 65
Total time of moderate smoke emissions 759½ minutes
RIVER POLLUTION
The increasing urbanisation of the County of Middlesex and the growing numbers of
factory buildings situated on or near the River Brent has given rise to serious doubts
concerning the purity of water of the River. As a portion of the river flows through Southall,
it was important to us that any public health risks in our own area should be minimised
and Medical Officers of Health of other districts bordering on the stream felt the same about
their own areas. As a result, a meeting between the Officers of the Middlesex County
Council, which is the authority for Rivers Inspection and the Borough Engineers and
Medical Officers of Health of the various districts bordering on the River Brent, was held
at the latter end of 1952, and the whole matter was discussed thoroughly. Following this
it was arranged that monthly reports would be submitted by the County Engineer to the
Borough Engineers and Medical Officers of Health of the appropriate authorities, containing
the results of analyses of the River water samples taken at various points along its course,
and these have been submitted regularly ever since. Results have fluctuated from good to
doubtful, and whenever doubtful results were obtained, the officers of the local authority
concerned communicated with the Middlesex County Council Officers and an endeavour
was made to pinpoint the source or sources of any offending matter being allowed to enter
into the stream. As a result of this much good work has been done in the reducing of
pollution, a matter of particular concern to the local authorities, such as Southall, situated
at the receiving end of the River.
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