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
Richmond upon Thames 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
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Seventy-five visits of inspection were made to the premises outlined above and the following defective conditions were remedied: —
| Want of cleanliness to Factory walls, etc ... | — |
| Inadequate ventilation of Factories | — |
| Ineffective drainage of Factory floors | — |
| Insufficient Sanitary accommodation | 2 |
| Unsuitable or defective conditions in Sanitary accom | |
| modation | 2 |
| Other matters requiring attention | 1 |
| 5 |
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION.
Richmond, being a residential town, has few large works or
factories, but the number of complaints concerning smoke emission
continues at a comparatively high level, and their investigation remains
an important duty of the Inspectors.
Twenty-nine complaints were received during the year and 75 visits
and observations for excessive smoke were made. Generally, interviews
with managers and advice to stokers resulted in improved
conditions and no grounds were found to justify statutory action.
Many of the complaints related to factory chimneys which are set
among residential properties, and powers under the Public Health
Act byelaws limit action by the local authority to those instances only
where black smoke is being emitted. Despite this inadequate statutory
standard there has been a happy record of co-operation with factory
managements in reducing smoke emission to a minimum.
Parts of the Clean Air Act, 1956, which came into effect at the
beginning of the year, may be briefly summarised as follows: —
(1) new furnace installations must be capable of operating without
emitting smoke, and notification must be given to the
Council when new furnaces are to be installed: