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REPORT OF The Lancet Sanitary Commission ON THE VENTILATION OF THEATRES AND PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.
48 A well-known firm of French sanitary engineers, Messrs. Geneste and Her?cher, were successful in the competition that ensued, and we have seen that the screw fans which they provided, by propelling 60,000 cubic metres of air per hour, supply precisely the 20 cubic metres required for each of the 3000 persons who can be seated in the amphitheatre. ON THE But with mechanical force it is easy enough to give any VENTILATION OF THEATRES AND amount of air ; the difficulty is to ensure its even distribution, and this in so slow and gradual a manner as to be imperPLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY. ceptible. To moderate the current, the air inlets, which are cut out in the floor under every seat, are covered over with two perforated iron plates, placed about an inch one above PART II. -THE PARIS SORBONNE. the other. The perforations in the plates a!every small WE will now describe’ the ventilation of the great amphinamely, four millimebres in diameter. These iron perforated #theatre of the Paris Sorbonne, which contains 3000 seats, plates measure about 8 in. by 14 in., butthe total useful and is the most recent application of the principles we have surface for air inlet amounts throughout the whole amphi. theatre to 80 metres square. The rapidity at which the attempted to explain. We have already remarked that the air The out. enters is equal to 25 centimetres per second.
REPORT OF
The Lancet Sanitary
Commission
Here the problem of warming and ventilating upwards. Thus we find realised at the Sorbonne what had already difficult as in a theatre, for SOOO seats have to been done at the Vienna Opera House. In the screw is form of while that of the structure provided ; fans and the 15 horse-power engine are the mechanical even more difficult, for the seats should be all equally means of providing with mathematical exactitude the good. The building, however, differs from a theatre inas- amount of air required. Then there is the large mixing The form chamber, where, by means of nicely adjusted valves, the much as there is a platform instead of a stage. adopted is that of most Parliament houses-namely, the attendants can regulate the inlet of hot air and of cold air semicircle, with a platform instead of the tribune. The so as to make an atmosphere which they generally warm to president’s seat is of course in the centre of the platform, 65° F. The inlets are so numerous and large that the air can the half-circle. The pit or floor is about the size of only travel through them slowly, and, being subdivided by the platform-namely, only half the width of the amphi- the minute perforations in the iron plates placed over the theatre. On each side and all round rise tiers of seats, inlets, occasions no draught;. All this, we repeat, is a copy while on the floors above there are two galleries. Even the of what we have seen at Vienna; but Messrs. Geneste and sectional drawing, which we give, will at least partially Herscber were determined to go a step further, and attempt
place.
ds be
as
facing
long
water. This spray is produced in the same that which exists at the House of Commons, whence the idea was derived. When tenders’were invited for the ventilation of the Sorbonne, the condition stipulated was that each person should be supplied with 20 cubic metres of air per hour. a spray of manner as
enters the amphitheatre by the openings such as that situated ten feet above the platform, and travels upwards along the cold surface of the walls, which are soon warmed. As this is proceeding the air in the mixing chamber, by its proximity with the furnace that is in the chamber below,
becomes
slightly
warmed. It therefore
expands
and travels
49
through the multitudinous openings into the body upwards of the hall. In very short time the temperature of is raised to about 160° F. The the whole
amphitheatre place is therefore absolutely untenantable. The walls, the furniture, everything in the amphitheatre is thoroughly heated, and soon absorbs and husbands a large stock of caloric. Then about a quarter of an hour before the public are admitted all the hot-air supply is cut off, and the warmamphitheatre entirely stopped. The air-proing of the pelling screw fans are now set in motion. They pnmp into the amphitheatre pure cold air from the street. The over. heated air is soon driven out, and by the time the public enter they find in the amphitheatre exactly similar air to that they were breathing in the street. This air has not THE NEW
hall. Thus the Sorbonne amphi. be warmed and ventilated as is the Vienna. Opera House, with a carefully prepared mixture of hot and cold air; it may be ventilated with pure cold outside air, and warmed by radiation from its heated walls, or the two systems may be combined if desired. There is something especially fibting in the fact that this, the great centre, where honours and rewards are distributed to those who have distinguished themselves in learning and science, should in itself be an example of what science can) achieve for the comfort and health of the audiences privileged to assist at any of the meetings held in this amphi. theatre. At the Sorbonne will be crowned the laureates of the Paris University, but crowns should also be reserved for
magnificent agsembly theatre
a
’
can
SORBONNE, PARIS.
B, Engine house. C, Inlet ventilating fan. D, Furnace for warming the air. E E, Hot air shaft. F F F ir, Cold air shafts. g g g g, Valve regulating amount of cold air, which here joins the hot air shaft. H H H, Hot and cold air mixing chambers. ii, Hot air pipeto counteract cold down draught caused by the wall. J, Burners above glass reflecting roof, serving to light the amphitheatre and draw ’ off the foul air.
A, Pure air inlet.
been warmed
or mixed with warmed air in any way ; it is a pure and, so to speak, an unadulterated out-of-door atmosphere. But through this cold air is radiated the heat given off by the hot walls and furniture of the amphitheatre. Also the cold incoming air as it strikes the hot walls is warmed. It therefore becomes lighter, expands, and travels upwards towards the outlets in the ceiling. If, on the contrary, as is usually the case, the walls were cold and the incoming air was warmed, then the air on striking the walls would be cooled, would condense, would become heavier, and therefore would fall as a cold draught on the heads of the people below. The walls of the amphitheatre retain their heat for a few hours ; that is long enough for the ordinary meetings held in this
those who have made its amphitheatre an example to the world of what can be done to secure the due observation of Nature’s laws by continuing the provision of pure air, even when 3000 persons have to assemble under one roof and in one single hall.
NEW INFIRMARY BUILDINGS, ST. OLAVE’S UNION.-
opening ceremony took place of the new infirmary, Lower-road, Rotherhithe. They have been erected by the guardians of the poor of the St. Olave’s Union, and will provide room for 280 beds, raising the total accommodation to 650 beds. The outlay has
Recently pavilions
the
at the
amounted to about £36.000.
REPORT OF
The Lancet Sanitary
Commission
Here the problem of warming and ventilating upwards. Thus we find realised at the Sorbonne what had already difficult as in a theatre, for SOOO seats have to been done at the Vienna Opera House. In the screw is form of while that of the structure provided ; fans and the 15 horse-power engine are the mechanical even more difficult, for the seats should be all equally means of providing with mathematical exactitude the good. The building, however, differs from a theatre inas- amount of air required. Then there is the large mixing The form chamber, where, by means of nicely adjusted valves, the much as there is a platform instead of a stage. adopted is that of most Parliament houses-namely, the attendants can regulate the inlet of hot air and of cold air semicircle, with a platform instead of the tribune. The so as to make an atmosphere which they generally warm to president’s seat is of course in the centre of the platform, 65° F. The inlets are so numerous and large that the air can the half-circle. The pit or floor is about the size of only travel through them slowly, and, being subdivided by the platform-namely, only half the width of the amphi- the minute perforations in the iron plates placed over the theatre. On each side and all round rise tiers of seats, inlets, occasions no draught;. All this, we repeat, is a copy while on the floors above there are two galleries. Even the of what we have seen at Vienna; but Messrs. Geneste and sectional drawing, which we give, will at least partially Herscber were determined to go a step further, and attempt
place.
ds be
as
facing
long
water. This spray is produced in the same that which exists at the House of Commons, whence the idea was derived. When tenders’were invited for the ventilation of the Sorbonne, the condition stipulated was that each person should be supplied with 20 cubic metres of air per hour. a spray of manner as
enters the amphitheatre by the openings such as that situated ten feet above the platform, and travels upwards along the cold surface of the walls, which are soon warmed. As this is proceeding the air in the mixing chamber, by its proximity with the furnace that is in the chamber below,
becomes
slightly
warmed. It therefore
expands
and travels
49
through the multitudinous openings into the body upwards of the hall. In very short time the temperature of is raised to about 160° F. The the whole
amphitheatre place is therefore absolutely untenantable. The walls, the furniture, everything in the amphitheatre is thoroughly heated, and soon absorbs and husbands a large stock of caloric. Then about a quarter of an hour before the public are admitted all the hot-air supply is cut off, and the warmamphitheatre entirely stopped. The air-proing of the pelling screw fans are now set in motion. They pnmp into the amphitheatre pure cold air from the street. The over. heated air is soon driven out, and by the time the public enter they find in the amphitheatre exactly similar air to that they were breathing in the street. This air has not THE NEW
hall. Thus the Sorbonne amphi. be warmed and ventilated as is the Vienna. Opera House, with a carefully prepared mixture of hot and cold air; it may be ventilated with pure cold outside air, and warmed by radiation from its heated walls, or the two systems may be combined if desired. There is something especially fibting in the fact that this, the great centre, where honours and rewards are distributed to those who have distinguished themselves in learning and science, should in itself be an example of what science can) achieve for the comfort and health of the audiences privileged to assist at any of the meetings held in this amphi. theatre. At the Sorbonne will be crowned the laureates of the Paris University, but crowns should also be reserved for
magnificent agsembly theatre
a
’
can
SORBONNE, PARIS.
B, Engine house. C, Inlet ventilating fan. D, Furnace for warming the air. E E, Hot air shaft. F F F ir, Cold air shafts. g g g g, Valve regulating amount of cold air, which here joins the hot air shaft. H H H, Hot and cold air mixing chambers. ii, Hot air pipeto counteract cold down draught caused by the wall. J, Burners above glass reflecting roof, serving to light the amphitheatre and draw ’ off the foul air.
A, Pure air inlet.
been warmed
or mixed with warmed air in any way ; it is a pure and, so to speak, an unadulterated out-of-door atmosphere. But through this cold air is radiated the heat given off by the hot walls and furniture of the amphitheatre. Also the cold incoming air as it strikes the hot walls is warmed. It therefore becomes lighter, expands, and travels upwards towards the outlets in the ceiling. If, on the contrary, as is usually the case, the walls were cold and the incoming air was warmed, then the air on striking the walls would be cooled, would condense, would become heavier, and therefore would fall as a cold draught on the heads of the people below. The walls of the amphitheatre retain their heat for a few hours ; that is long enough for the ordinary meetings held in this
those who have made its amphitheatre an example to the world of what can be done to secure the due observation of Nature’s laws by continuing the provision of pure air, even when 3000 persons have to assemble under one roof and in one single hall.
NEW INFIRMARY BUILDINGS, ST. OLAVE’S UNION.-
opening ceremony took place of the new infirmary, Lower-road, Rotherhithe. They have been erected by the guardians of the poor of the St. Olave’s Union, and will provide room for 280 beds, raising the total accommodation to 650 beds. The outlay has
Recently pavilions
the
at the
amounted to about £36.000.