ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION — FRENKIEL 



271 



the atmosphere, and the cycle is completed by the contact of pollutants 

 with people, livestock, vegetation, or any other objects. This contact 

 may result in the elimination of the pollutants from the atmosphere, 

 or it may be followed by the repetition of a similar cycle. The final 

 stage of atmospheric pollution is its possible damage to health and 

 property. 



i — DEATHS AND AIR POLLUTION IN LONDON—! 

 DURING DECEMBER 1952 



1000 



Fog Period 



DEATHS _ 



I " 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 



DAY OF DECEMBER 1952 



Figure 2. — Deaths and air pollution in London County during December 1952. Daily 

 mortality rates are compared with the concentrations of smoke and of sulfur dioxide 

 (S0 2 ). 



Although the physiological effects of air contamination are not very 

 well known, it has been determined that each year atmospheric pollu- 

 tion is responsible for the death of a large number of people. It is 

 estimated [1,2] 2 that the intense smog of December 1952 in London, 

 England, which contained large concentrations of sulfur dioxide, 

 killed at least 4,000 people (see figs. 1-4) . For the last two years the 

 concentration of ozone during smoggy days in the streets of Los 



1 Figures in brackets indicate references at end of text. 



