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little harm, but the proportion found in a given sample of air is,
under ordinary circumstances, the measure of the respiratory impurity
therein, hence the importance of its estimation. In addition
to the ordinary products of respiration the air may be contaminated
with disease germs should any consumptive person be included
amongst the employes in a workshop.
( b) Combustion.—It is a common and very bad custom to light the
gas in workrooms on cold days for the purpose of raising the temperature.
The burners in use are usually common fishtails, and they are
not only wasteful, but they assist in fouling the air with sulphur compounds
as well as carbonic acid. Roughly speaking an ordinary gas jet
produces as much carbonic acid as three men, and as much heat as
five men.
The only instance in this country where a standard of purity is
actually fixed by law, is the case of the artificially humidified air
of cotton-cloth weaving sheds, and here the maximum of carbonic
acid permitted in any part of the factory is nine volumes per 10,000.
So far as I know, this standard has been found satisfactory, and the
requirement has not proved oppressive. It is to be regretted that
the Committee did not see its way to recommend the general adoption
of the cotton-cloth weaving shed standard for all factories and
workshops, instead of the new and much inferior standard of 12
per 10,000.
BAKEHOUSES.
(See List in Appendix.)
There are in the Borough 99 bakehouses, of which no fewer than
37 are underground. All these premises have been carefully inspected,
and the underground ones have been measured up and
plans taken of their present condition.
Bread of some sort forms a portion of the diet of nearly every
human being throughout the world; it follows that an article of such
universal consumption ought, if possible, to be pure and free from
contamination. These requirements can only be secured by insisting