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12
unwholesomeness of the servants' apartments at a tailor's
at No. 96, New Bond Street, which, it was alleged, had
caused the death of a female servant.
On investigation, it was evident that all the yard or
open space behind the house in question, had been built
over, to make a show-room behind the shop; and thus that
the whole of an extensive basement was most insufficiently
supplied with air.
In the middle of this basement were some apartments,
one within the other, with borrowed light, and air at
second hand; certain apertures which had been made for
air were stopped up; and close by were two water-closets
and a urinal, and a stove for heating the irons of the
tailor's men.
In an inner apartment so situated, and squalidly dirty,
was seen, by the aid of a candle, the body of an elderly
woman. The weather was most intensely hot, and the
atmosphere of the place stifling; the woman was described
as of intemperate habits, and having some disease
of the heart. She had evidently fallen asleep on the edge
of the bed the preceding night, and had never awaked.
Dr. Druitt gave it as his opinion at the inquest, that
such an atmosphere in such weather was dangerous; and
the jury found the verdict, that the deceased died from
natural causes, but that her death was hastened by the
impure air of her apartments.
The occupier of the house promised to discontinue the
use of the place as a sleeping apartment.
His attention was called to the ventilation of a narrow
gallery around the upper part of the show-room, used as
a work-room for his journeymen. Tailors who work in
such places must expect consumption.
Unwholesome Workshops. The Committee of Vestry