832 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



house by having constant journeys from the basement to the second 

 and third floors. 



Too much care can not possibly be taken in providing the neces- 

 sary conveniences in the way of store-closets near to the kitchen, 

 so as to reduce to a minimum the service and labor expenditure in 

 the house ; and in every case proper ventilation is easily obtainable 

 by a little forethought on the part of the architect or builder, so that 

 each closet and cupboard may be kept sweet and airy ; there should 

 be no dark corners in which dust and filth may be allowed to accumu- 

 late, but ample light and ventilation everywhere. It is easy to pro- 

 vide for a large fresh-air drain or channel from back to front, such as I 

 have named, in every new house, out of which separate ducts may be 

 taken to every cupboard or closet ; and this main air shaft or duct 

 should be continued into the back area, or lighting space for the back 

 rooms, so that a constant draught shall be caused, and the air not al- 

 lowed for a moment to stagnate. 



The back areas are often of necessity made small, and if unpro- 

 vided by some arrangement such as I have described, by which a con- 

 stant change of air is enforced, the lower portion becomes absolutely 

 foul and unwholesome, and any air drawn from it for ventilation is 

 practically worse than useless. 



In Professor Kerr's book on the planning of country-houses, he lays 

 great stress on comfort as an essential element. Now, this means 

 good constructive care in the arrangement of the different portions 

 of the house ; all proper and requisite conveniences, light, warmth, 

 and good ventilation everywhere ; freedom from damp and smells, no 

 smoky chimneys, and no badly-constructed floors, through which noise 

 from above or below may be readily heard. If these essentials are 

 not properly looked after, the finest design, the most useful decora- 

 tion, the most graceful art, all go for nothing, for common-sense 

 people are apt to appreciate the mere material comfort and conven- 

 ience of the house much more than the art-work in the external eleva- 

 tion, or in the internal decoration of their rooms. 



I do not propose to enter upon the question of drains or sewage 

 ventilation, as this subject has been treated by many more able lect- 

 urers than myself in these rooms, who have made it their special 

 study, and I would only propose very briefly to refer to it. I can only 

 insist upon every closet being thoroughly ventilated, upon all sink- 

 wastes being cut off from the main sewer, and upon all drains which 

 must perforce be carried through the house being laid and bedded in 

 concrete, with man-holes at each end, to sweep them clean from end to 

 end if necessary, for proper traps cutting off all drains directly from 

 the main sewer ; that all sink-wastes empty clear over proper traps, 

 and to avoid everywhere any connection with the main drains, where- 

 by sewer-gas can in any way be brought into the house. 



All closets and bath-rooms should, if possible, be lined with tiles or 



