THEATRE-HYGIENE. 519 



referred to. At the Criterion, the meters, with tanks for oxygen, 

 are located in the basement under the auditorium, wliere there is 

 neitlier daylight nor ventilation. The Gaiety also is to blame for 

 having its gas storage within the main building, under the stairs 

 leading to the balcoiiy. The Opera House has its suj^ply situated 

 under the rear of the stage, and in addition has its stage footlights 

 very improperly protected. Worst of all, however, is the Alhambra 

 Music Hall, where the meters are placed in a recess, under the 

 stage, which is locked ; beside it are three buckets of water, which 

 could not be got at if wanted. 



The role of the stage flooring being to act somewhat after the 

 manner of a huge sounding box, it is desirable that the space 

 beneath be unoccupied and not filled up with rubbish. The 

 Criterion Theatre for instance has its basement under the stage, 

 with the scene-pit lumbered up with property, sent down through 

 the traps on tlie stage floor. The Standard also has the area 

 under the stage at present filled with rubbish, has no ventilation, 

 and is stifling and dangerous to health. 



With regard to water supply, the water in the mains being at 

 such a low pressure, cisterns should be provided containing at 

 least two hundred and fifty gallons of water for every one hundred 

 persons in the audience to be accommodated in the building. This 

 minimum of two hundred and fifty has been determined upon, 

 after mature deliberation, by the London Metropolitan Board of 

 Works. These cisterns or tanks ought to be placed on the top of 

 the proscenium wall or on the top of the outer walls of the 

 staircases ; indeed, in those situations where, in case of fire, they 

 would be furthest removed from accident, and perfectly free to act. 

 They may not prove of much value when placed up in an attic or. 

 on a grid-floor for the reason that, with the destruction of the 

 wooden supports on which they are resting, they would probably 

 speedily be overturned. The water in the tanks, as well as in the 

 fire-buckets, being solely for use in the extinction of fire, should 

 not be made subservient to any other purpose whatever ; the 

 water must be there when wanted. 



Many accidents arise in connection with defective stage-apparatus 

 and appliances ; so severe are these occurrences occasionally, that 

 they may lead to permanent disablement of the suflferer, if indeed 

 they do not prove to be immediately fatal. Among such accidents 

 may be mentioned the giving way of a trap-door or rotten rope ; 

 this latter danger is especially apt to occur with performers on the 

 flying-trapeze, rope-dancers, etc., and could always be prevented 

 by careful examination previous to an entertainment. Similarly 

 the blankets or rope-netting used in connection with actors when 

 throwing themselves over a bridge, etc., into the waters below, 

 should all be carefully tested beforehand. Battles on the stage 

 are common enough, and cannon and musket are discharged with 

 good effect, a sort of drawing-room cartridge made of phosphorous 



