View report page

Smokeless Fuel.
On the production of smokeless fuel, it has been said that we should
concentrate on the areas of heaviest pollution as in Greater London and that
the main supply of smokeless fuel should go to these areas. With the assistance
of the Government and local authorities it is claimed that it would be possible
to achieve this aim in four years.
Some local authorities have sought powers in local Acts to establish smokeless
zones, but even given that the furnaces in buildings are all capable of being
operated continuously without emitting smoke, and that the best appliances
are available in households, the solution still turns upon the supply of smokeless
fuel available, and there is just not enough. In the meantime we can do something
towards directing public attention to the dangers of adding more smoke
to the atmosphere in times of fog, and the peril to elderly people in such
circumstances.
There has recently been a committee set up under the chairmanship of
Sir Hugh Beaver to examine the nature, causes and effects of air pollution and
to consider preventive measures, and the Ministry of Health is also conducting
a medical enquiry. The knowledge that every fog tends to shorten the lives
of people over middle age will probably do most to engender a healthy respect
for the prevention of atmospheric pollution by smoke.
ARE YOU FAT OR THIN?
In previous reports I have written about safe food and the effects on the
nutrition of children living in various types of home. Now that we see the
end of rationing in sight, my thoughts have turned to the effects of food on
the body, and to the question of how much or how little food is good for us.
With famine in various parts of the world and constant threats of wars, the
subject is always of outstanding interest to us as a community. The subject
of undernutrition had always engaged the attention of school medical officers
who have tried to find methods of measuring the amount of undernutrition in
children. At the same time research has been going on on the subject of overnutrition.
For instance it has been observed that fat people tend to develop
high blood pressure and to die earlier of heart disease and stroke. Our death
returns for Twickenham show that heart disease and stroke is becoming
commoner as the cause of death after middle age.
Only one thing determines whether a person shall be fat or thin, and that
is the amount of food he eats. If he eats more food than he needs for his
energy requirements he will grow fat; if he eats the correct amount he will
remain stationary; if there is too little food available he will grow thin; and
if the restriction is severe he will ultimately die of starvation.
Growth.
During the growing stage the cells of the body multiply and the organs
enlarge as growth proceeds. If the constituents of the diet are in the correct
amounts to supply the protein necessary for the multiplication of the cells
and the fat and carbohydrate necessary for energy, then growth will take place
7