50 Years Ago

The total emission of smoke in Britain ... has been declining for some years but reaches a higher concentration in winter. Deposited matter, including soot, tar, dust, grit and ash, is mainly derived from the combustion of solid fuels. So, too, is sulphur dioxide; in 1963, 68 per cent of sulphur dioxide came from burning coal, 7 per cent from coke and 25 per cent from oil. At Battersea and Bankside power stations in London, flue gases are washed with water from the Thames to which chalk has been added: this process removes 90 to 98 per cent of gases but it is costly ... Fluorides are emitted by some brickworks and possibly by some potteries and cement kilns, but fluoride pollution is rarely reported in Britain now. It remains to be seen whether photochemical or oxidant smog, often referred to as Los Angeles smog, will be troublesome in Britain in future.

From Nature 28 October 1967

100 Years Ago

In general, in normal times it is perhaps no exaggeration to say that neither the average individual nor the average nation approaches within 50 per cent. of their possibilities. Nothing short of a war threatening the national existence can shake a nation out of its lethargy. Similarly, the average individual cannot be induced to put forth his best efforts without the strongest of incentives. It is unfortunate that this is the case. However, with sufficient attention given to the problem by trained experts in mental science, it is quite possible that at some future date as high as 60 or 80 per cent. of the possibilities may be realised without any appeal to arms for the nation or any unusual incentive for the individual.

From Nature 25 October 1917

Footnote 1