Great Smog of 1952
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The Great Smog, also referred to as the Big Smoke, refers to a period of severe air pollution from 5 to 9 December 1952 that befell the city of London. The Great Smog is considered to have caused or advanced the death of 12,000 Londoners, and made 100,000 ill.[1]
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[edit] Timeline
Early in December 1952, a cold fog descended upon London, causing Londoners to burn more coal for warmth than usual. The increased air pollution was trapped by the inversion layer formed by the dense mass of cold air, which caused a buildup in concentrations of pollutants, especially coal smoke.
Due to postwar economic problems, higher-quality coals were mostly exported. As a result, Londoners often used lower quality coals that are high in sulphur, which exacerbated the problem.[2]
The resulting smog became so dense that driving became difficult or impossible. It also entered indoors easily, causing concerts and screenings of films to be canceled, as the audience could not see the stage or the screen.[3]
[edit] Health Impact
Initially, there was no great panic, as London is renowned for its fog. In the weeks that followed, however, statistics compiled by medical services found that the fog had killed 4,000 people[4]. Most of the victims were very young, elderly, or had pre-existing respiratory problems. Deaths in most cases were due to respiratory tract infections from hypoxia, and due to mechanical obstruction of the air passages by pus arising from lung infections caused by the smog.
The lung infections were mainly bronchopneumonia or acute purulent bronchitis superimposed upon chronic bronchitis.[5]
A total of 8,000 people died in the weeks and months that followed.[6]
[edit] Environmental Impact
The death toll formed an important impetus to the modern environmental movement, and led to a rethinking of air pollution, as the smog had demonstrated its lethal potential. New regulations were put in place restricting the use of dirty fuels in industry and banning black smoke. In the years that followed, various legislation such as the Clean Air Acts of 1956 and of 1968, as well as London's (Various Powers) Act of 1954 greatly restricted air pollution.
[edit] References
- ^ Berend, Ivan T. (2006). An Economic History of Twentieth-Century Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 312. ISBN 9780521672689.
- ^ Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 110, Number 12, December 2002: Guest Editorials:A Half Century Later: Recollections of the London Fog (David V. Bates)
- ^ 50 Years On - The struggle for air quality in London since the great smog of December 1952 (page 7)
- ^ "Met Office: The Great Smog of 1952". www.metoffice.gov.uk. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/secondary/students/smog.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.
- ^ Camps, Francis E (Ed.) (1976). "Gradwohl's Legal Medicine, 3rd edition" Bristol: John Wright & Sons Ltd, ISBN 0 7236 0310 3. page 236
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2545747.stm
[edit] External links
- London Fog
- The Great Smog of 1952
- Days of toxic darkness BBC News
- Historic smog death toll rises BBC, 2002-12-02.
- 1952: London fog clears after days of chaos BBC News, 1952-12-09.
- NPR: The Killer Fog of '52
- Pollution call on smog anniversary
- Description of smog
- National Pollutant Inventory - Particulate matter fact sheet
