IMPROVEMENTS IN THEATER SANITATION. 87 



ricli in living micro-organisms. This lias been proved by Tjndall, 

 Miquel, Frankland, and other scientists; and in this connection 

 should be mentioned one point of much importance, ascertained 

 quite recently, namely, that the air of sewers, contrary to expec- 

 tation, is remarkably free from germs. An analysis of the air in 

 the sewers under the Houses of Parliament, London, showed that 

 the number of micro-organisms was much less than that in the 

 atmosphere outside of the building. 



In recent years marked improvements in theater planning and 

 equipment have been effected, and corresponding steps in advance 

 have been made in matters relating to theater hygiene. It should 

 therefore be understood that my remarks are intended to apply 

 to the average theater, and in particular to the older buildings of 

 this class. There are in large cities a few well-ventilated and hy- 

 gienically improved theaters and opera houses, in which the re- 

 quirements of sanitation are observed. Later on, when speaking 

 more in detail of theater ventilation, instances of well-ventilated 

 theaters will be mentioned. ISTevertheless, the need of urgent and 

 radical measures for comfort and health in the majority of theaters 

 is obvious. Much is being done in our enlightened age to improve 

 the sanitary condition of school buildings, jails and prisons, hos- 

 pitals and dwelling houses. Why, I ask, should not our theaters 

 receive some consideration? 



The efficient ventilation of a theater building is conceded to 

 be an unusually difficult problem. In order to ventilate a theater 

 properly, the causes of noxious odors arising from bad plumbing 

 or defective drainage should be removed; outside fumes or vapors 

 must not be permitted to enter the building either through doors 

 or windows, or through the fresh-air duct of the heating apparatus. 

 The substitution of electric lights in place of gas is a great help 

 toward securing pure air. This being accomplished, a standard of 

 purity of the air should be maintained by proper ventilation. This 

 includes both the removal of the vitiated air and the introduction 

 of pure air froni outdoors and the consequent entire change of the 

 air of a hall three or four times per hour. The fresh air brought 

 into the building must be ample in volume; it should be free from 

 contamination, dust and germs (particularly pathogenic microbes), 

 and with this in view must in cities be first purified by filtering, 

 spraying, or washing. It should be warmed in cold weather by pass- 

 ing over hot-water or steam-pipe stacks, and cooled in warm weather 

 by means of ice or the brine of mechanical refrigerating machines. 

 The air should be of a proper degree of humidity, and, what is 

 most important of all, it should be admitted into the various parts 

 of the theater imperceptibly, so as not to cause the sensation of 



