May II, 1893] 



NATURE 



mechanical system to secure general ventilation. Air is 

 admitted through openings in the upper part of the win- 

 dows, the foul air finding sufficient means of escape up 

 a shaft in which there is a spiral staircase, at the end of 

 the large laboratories, and which terminates in a large 

 opening in the western gable. Special care, however, is 

 taken to remove fumes evolved in the chemical experi- 

 ments. For this purpose a large number of earthenware 

 pipes, 15 ccm. in diameter, are built into the walls be- 

 tween the windows in the large laboratories and else- 

 where ; these are carried up and connected with asphalted 

 flues, which eventually terminate in a large air shaft 

 carried out above the roof ; the necessary draft is secured 

 by means of a large fan placed at the base of the shaft, 

 and driven by the engine in the printing department. At 

 right angles to the walls at both sides of the rooms, be- 

 tween'the windows, hollow walls are built out about 25 m., 



combinations tried in the laboratory may at once be 

 effected on the large scale in the works. The pipes for 

 gas, water, compressed air and vacuum are carried in a 

 space behind the shelving, aiid can be easily got at for 

 repairs, the shelving being made removable. The 

 benches, except at the windows, are covered with lead. 

 Under the bench there are numerous drawers and 

 cupboards, containing all apparatus that can possibly be 

 required, and also chemicals such as salt, potassium 

 chloride, sodium acetate, &c., which are used in large 

 quantities. Thus in Fig. 3 a sliding stand will be seen 

 projecting from a cupboard on the right-hand side, carry- 

 ing measuring cylinders inverted over pegs Each 

 drawer or cupboard, in fact, has its special purp'ose, and 

 is carefully labelled, the same arrangement being main- 

 tained throughout the laboratory, so that the attendantr- 

 are able to see that each chemist is supplied with all 



-Working place of one chemist. 



'1 



on either side of which draft closets are constructed 

 (see Fig. 2), flue pipes such as have been referred to being 

 let into these walls. 



Passing over numerous interesting details of construc- 

 tion, the arrangement of the laljoratories may now be re- 

 ferred to. Each place is so arranged as to constitute a 

 complete laboratory with every necessary provision, 

 while at the same time there is nothing to prevent the 

 various chemists working together or to hinder the 

 general supervision of the laboratory. The arrangement 

 is best understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, of which 

 the latter shows a single working place. The two side 

 benches are connected by the window bench, so that 

 each chemist has command of a bench about 15 m. long ! 

 The bottles on the shelves of each place contain 180 

 different agents — among these being all the substances 

 in use or produced in the works, so that, if desired, any 



NO. 1228, VOL. 48] 



necessary apparatus. On either bench next the window 

 there is a closed draft-closet, and next to it a hood, it 

 being possible to connect these by a moveable window; 

 In one of the closets there is a large copper water bath, in 

 which steam, previously cleaned from rust, condenses and 

 can be drawn off as boiling distilled water ; thisbath has the 

 usual openings above with rings, &c., and has within it a 

 drying oven surrounded by boiling water, a wooden drying 

 closet being placed below in which things can be dried by 

 heat radiated from the water bath above. The waste 

 water and steam pass away through the hollow wall at 

 the back of the closet, in which there is a channel com- 

 municating with the drain. 



On either side of the window a pipe connected to the 

 general ventilation system is let into the wall, to which a 

 funnel-shaped hood can be attached, so that experiments 

 involving the evolution of fumes can be carried on at the 



