Evening star., 1936-01-05
BUS VENTILATION
IS HIT IN REPORT
OF CITY CHEMIST
Air in Heated, Crowded Ve-
hiCIeS Held "Unfit for
Breathing"
CARBON DIOXiDE PARTS
ARE FOUND TOO MANY
Public Utilities Commission En-
gineer Makes Survey to De-
termine Remedy.

Air inside heated and overcrowded
busses here has been found to be
unfit for breathing" in tests made
by District Chemist j. B. Reed, it
was revealed yesterday.
The tests, made at the request Of
the Public Utilities Commission,
showed the air in some busses con-
tanned as high as SO parts of carbon
dioxide to 10000 cubic centimeters,
the reports show. Safe air, from the
standpoint of health, it was ex-
planned, should not exceed more than
10 parts of carbon dioxide. Theaters
are required to maintain this stand
ard.
Richmond B. Keech, vice chairman
of the Public Utilities Commission, in
commenting on the reports, said F.
A. Sager, the commissions engineer,
is making a survey to determine how
best to overcome the condition.
Appeals to Manufacturers.
Keech also revealed he has written
to five major bus manufacturers. call
ing their attention to numerous COM
plants against poor ventilation In
busses and asking them what they
are going to do about it."
1t was pointed out by J. F. Butts
chief of the Bureau of Sanitary In
Spection, that the Health Department
cannot control health conditions on
busses. but that his agency is CO.
operating with the Public Utilities
Commission by request. He declared
that all information collected by his
department showed that overcrowding
and poor ventilation are injurious to
health.
In heated bus, with high carbon
dioxide content, exhaled breath must
be constantly rebreathed, he asserted.
"Of course" he explained. "if every
one on a crowded bus is healthy. there
is very little danger. But If one per-
son on board has q cold. then every
other person there is likely to get it.
The same thing applies to other dis
cases."
SVoC LathAhss
Butts decried the fact that the Dis
trict does not have a sanitary code.
He pointed out that his department
is operating under parts of Webbs
Digest Of 1870 and under joint reso-
lutions of Congress back to 1875.
Under present health and sanitary
regulations, he said, the Health De-
partment can supervise conditions
only in commercial plants, public
buildings and theaters Even apart
ment houses are excluded.
The high carbon dioxide in con-
fined spaces where people are in close
contact is caused by the human
breath and body heat, Reed explained.
He said the human breath contains
several hundred times as much carbon
dioxide as the outside air. Outside
air contains about four parts, he as
serted.
Acts as Germ Carrier.
Carbon dioxide is not, in itself, in
furious to health If breathed for short
periods Of time, but acts only as a
germ carrier, Reed stated.
One feature of the poor ventilation
conditions will be solved by the Public
Utilities Commission by its recent
'standee" order which will limit the
number Of passengers allowed on a
bus. Each bus will be required to
carry sign stating the maximum
number of passengers allowed. These
signs will be ordered as soon as Sager
completes his investigation and the
commission decides on the number of
passengers, Keech said.
''Standees in busses must be reduced
as safety, health and accommoda-
ton measure" he declared.