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Air  Pulhition  by  Smoke. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(      December,  1920. 
hypertension  and  angina  pectoris.  The  best  method  of  adminis- 
tering the  drug  in  such  cases  is  in  alcohoUc  sohition  which  admits 
of  rapid  absorption  and  a  control  of  the  dose. 
THE  EFFECTS  OF  AIR  POLLUTION  BY  SMOKE  AND  ITS 
PREVENTION.* 
By  J.  B.  Cohen. 
The  Smoke -Abatement  Committee,  appointed  by  the  Minister 
of  Health,  after  taking  a  large  amount  of  expert  evidence,  has  issued 
an  interim  report  on  what  may  be  termed  "domestic  smoke."  The 
object  of  this  report  is  mainly  to  furnish  information  as  to  the  best 
methods  of  preventing  smoke  in  connection  with  the  new  housing 
schemes  to  which  the-  Ministry  is  offering  large  subsidies,  and  which 
consequently  have  to  receive  its  approval.  Incidentally,  the  destruc- 
tive effects  of  coal  smoke  and  the  wastage  of  fuel,  as  well  as  the 
efffciency  or  otherwise  of  domestic  heating  appliances,  have  been 
considered.  The  annual  loss  of  fuel  in  the  form  of  soot  is  estimated 
at  nearly  two  and  a  half  million  tons.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  pointed 
out  that  the  presence  of  soot  is  an  indication  that  a  far  more  for- 
midable loss  is  being  incurred  by  the  inefficient  utilization  of  the 
heat  from  the  fuel.  Moreover,  domestic  soot,  by  reason  of  its  higher 
content  of  tar,  which  causes  it  to  adhere  to  the  objects  upon  which 
it  falls,  is  far  more  destructive  and  dirt-producing  than  factory 
soot,  which  is  a  product  of  more  complete  combustion  and  contains 
less  tar  and  more  ash.    The  following  analyses  will  make  this  clear:' 
Top  of 
Original  Ordinary        Boiler  Chimney 
Constituents.  Coal.  Grate  Flue.  — 1  10  Feet. 
Carbon   6o .  30  40 .  50  2  7  . 00 
Hydrogen   4  89  4  37  i  68 
Tar   1.64  25  .91  I  .  14 
Ash  ■   8.48  18.16  61.80 
As  regards  the  effect  of  a  smoky  atmosphere  on  health,  statistics 
show  that  a  town  fog  immediately  increases  the  death  rate  from 
respiratory  diseases,  and  the  cause  underlying  this  high  mortality, 
*  From  Jour.  Soc.  Chem.  Ind.,  Aug.  31,  1920. — Vide  Interim  Report  of  the 
Smoke- Abatement  Committee  of  the  Ministry  of  Health,  1920.  H.  M.  Sta- 
tionery Office. 
1  "vSmoke,  a  vStudy  of  Town  Air,"  by  J.  B.  Cohen  and  A.  G.  Rus*:on.  E- 
Arnold,  London,  19 12. 
