New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-08
AIR IN SUBWAYS.
Pun ps in London Tubes Make
Big I'm prOUemenf.

New 1OrkSrS VINO use the subway and
who have been complaining ever since IL
was opened of the quality OF the air will
probably be interested in THE Lancet's'
discussion OF Some Hygienic Aspects Of
Modern Locomotion." The Lancet" an
nounces a great Improvement in the air in
the London tubes
Thanks to the urgent representations OF
our public health authorities. the pioneers
of the modern accelerated methods Of trav-
cling have been made to realize that. while
speed and economy are desirable detectives
tbev must not be attained without any re-
gard at all being given to health considera-
tons" says the great British medical
weekly Our readers may remember that
some years ago we were among the first
TO point out that the new (as they were
them tube railways were becoming a seri-
Gus menace 10 health, owing 10 the accu-
mutation OF human exhalatious in the tuu-
nels, stations and lifts; there was practi-
cally no means Of ventilation provided the
engineers having considered that the train
going through the tunnel pushed column
Of air in front of it and drew one in be
hind IL
But they disregarded the fact that the
stale air was not changed for fresh air
Our apprehensions were ridiculed in many
quarters, until a scientific investigation OF
the air on the tubes was made, which
other things, there was shown 10 be pres
ent IN the air an amount OF carbonic acid
largely in excess of that normally present
in the air outside Our evidence Of poIIu-
ton was based the simple observation
that the air possessed that peculiar stale.
fToWsy smell common 10 air badly pol
1Uted by human exhalations- The smell
was very obvious even in the street where
the lifts were discharging passengers. In
h. l1r,T .T- --ff 1fa al
the representatives OF the tube companies
themselves. We had the satisfaction OF
learning what their real feeling about the
matter was, for shortly after we pub-
nShed Our complaints steps were Ia zen 70
pump out the stale contaminated air o.
the tube and TO replace 1t with fresh
The result now is that the condition Of
the air in the tubes is splendid, and there
made il nauseating before the excellent
system of ventilation was introduced Inc
tubes are swept out constantly with vol
umes Of fresh air, and there are not few
passengers who think that the draft Is
excessive and that the supply of fresh air
is pushed 70 an extreme, and that in
troduced. The mischief done to health Of
anv) by a strong draft Of fresh air needs
and marked poisonous effects OF breathing
air which has infiitrated through the lungs
of thousands. All this is very satisfactory
TO those who recognize the value Of ap-
plying hygieniC principles, and We welcome
again the obviously though perhaps not
completely successful efforts which are be
ing made to reduce the nuisances coca
stoned by motor traffic.
Not only. for example. have the smell
and noxious fumes OF the motor omnibus
been reduced, but the noise and clatter OF
the motor machine have distinctly been
diminished. This Is a matter oe common
observation especially when the experience
is recalled of the teTroriZtnS vehicles which
motor Omnibuses we're when they were first
introduced in the streets They made hide
Gus noises, emitted A nauseOus smoke,
dropped oil over the roads. and were gen
orally a source of annoyance and nuisance
TO the public. The motor omnibus is not
a perfect vehicle now, but II has been
greatly improved, and the improvements
have related largely 10 considerations Of
health. The offences created were so OBJ
ieCtionabIe that there can be no mistake
about their having been removed TO a large
extent now. and the improvement can
scarcely be explained by saying we have
got used 70 the new kind OF vehiCular traf-
Fl. or have resigned ourselves 70 It's ter
ror.'