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96
WORKPLACES—KITCHENS OF RESTAURANTS, &c.
By far the larger number of restaurant kitchens are in the basement, and
from this fact arises nine-tenths of the defects. The "natural" ventilation of
a basement (if any) is obtained from fanlights under the stallboard and
gratings in the pavements, and the air thus admitted is laden with dust
charged with all manner of impurities from the street. Artificial light has
in most cases to be used all day, and is usually in the form of ordinary gas
jets adding their quota of impurities to the air, and blackening walls and
ceiling. Even without the further defects, too often found, of direct
communication between the sanitary convenience and the kitchen, it is
obvious that this state of things is undesirable both for the health of the
workers and of those who consume food cooked in such an atmosphere.
In some basement kitchens, electric light is used, and an elaborate system
of air drafts and electric fans has been fitted up with excellent results, both
as regards cleanliness and ventilation. The expense of this is very great,
and electric fans are always liable to get out of order.
All these difficulties are obviated by placing the kitchen on the ground or
upper floors (the higher up the better). Given sufficient cubic space, ample
ventilation can be obtained from ordinary windows, and where gas stoves
are used a hood and flue carried into the chimney is easily fixed.
SUMMER FLUSHING OF COURTS, &c.
The flushing of the more thickly-populated and poorer parts of the City
during the hot months was carried on as usual, followed by the use of
deodorants in the channels running through the courts and alleys, &c.
In this service, but including the streets, your Engineer informs me that
46,971,365 gallons of water were used. Disinfectants were also freely
employed, as explained on page 46.
Forty-seven places were so treated in the East District; thirty-eight in the
Middle District ; and eighty-three in the West District. Total 168.
The entrances to forty-one courts were cleansed and lime-washed, viz. :
thirteen in the East District; three in the Middle District; and twenty-five
in the West District. A list of places dealt with is subjoined.
In Lower Thames Street, and especially in the neighbourhood of
Billingsgate Market and the Custom House, road flushing was freely employed
and deodorants subsequently used at least twice in twenty-four hours, it being
always difficult to keep the place free from nuisance caused by the leakages
from the fish carts, which rapidly decompose, and cause great annoyance to
the public unless promptly dealt with.