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SANITATION AT SEA.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL SANITARY COMMISSIONER.)(Continued from p. 339.)

THE NEW FRENCH LAW AND THE NEW FRENCH SHIPS.

The One-class Boats.THE new category of passengers that has come into

existence is increasing rapidly now that a new class of shipshas been built for their accommodation. These are thesecond-class passengers travelling on ships where there is no’first-class. This is a natural development, since wealthypeople constitute only a very small minority of the popu-lations concerned. Far more numerous is the great pro-fessional and middle class-persons of good education andgood social standing, but possessing only moderate means.When they need to cross the Atlantic they feel it humiliatingto be railed off and kept in the after part of the ship, eventhough the second-class accommodation may be good;indeed, in some of the newest and largest Atlantic linersit is better in many ways than the first-class accommodationof a few years ago. In some of the German ships care istaken to make it impossible for the first-class passengersto see their second-class neighbours. Nevertheless, itis but natural to prefer the best part of the ship,and formerly the second-class traveller could enjoythis advantage only if he went by a cattle boat, whereprovision was made amidships for a few passengers at

inexpensive rates. Such a prospect was not satisfactory,however, for the class of travellers that has recently cometo the front. They need something similar in character tothe first-class saloon passage. but less luxurious, and thereforeless expensive. Thus expenditure in coal might be reduced,for they would be content with a slow boat, while the greaterthe speed, the more violent the shaking and the shocksreceived from high seas. After all, what does it matter ifthe journey takes two or three days longer. When there is

- every necessary comfort a holiday may be enjoyed as wellon board as on shore. So long as the cabins are cleanand cosy, it is as easy to sleep in a berth of enamellediron as in one of highly polished and rare wood. Neitherare costly silk furnishings and ornately carved and gildedceilings necessary ; good taste is not necessarily costly. Onthe other hand, travellers of this class are just as anxious.about drainage and ventilation as are any saloon passengers.Knowledge of hygiene is a matter not of wealth but of educa-tion, and medical men and school teachers are better.educated as a class than men who have made fortunes inbusiness. Again, the former class can dispense with an- orchestra at meal-times and for concerts. Nor do theyrequire extravagant articles of diet, such as fruit out of

season, or game, or caviare. But they do want a skilfulcjref and good food served without stint. And further, theywant to drink the ordinary wines, white and red, which to-dayare so cheap, and a cup of black coffee to round off their mealswith, without extra charge. They need ample space ondeck, a comfortable lounge, and a smoking-room or cafe-in fact, every facility for social intercourse and such gamesas can be enjoyed on board. Al this is just what the’Compagnie Generale Transatlantique attempted to supplywhen it constructed the Chicago and the Rochambeau.

The New Crowd.As the demand for this sort of accommodation was met, so

Tias it increased. For the moment it is essentially an

American and French development. If we exclude thosewho travel on business, there is more to tempt Americans toEurope than Europeans to America. Further, it is especiallythe well-educated and well-read American who longs to visitEurope. Prominent among this class are the members ofthe medical and the teaching professions. Till recentlymany have been debarred from visiting Europe because theycould not afford the first-class or saloon fares, with theirincidental expenses, and did not care to occupy an inferior

position as a second-class passenger. But in these new boatssuch passengers occupy the first position in absolutely thebest part of the ship. In the fast liners the minimumsaloon first-class fare varies from 18 to £25, whilein the one-class boats the minimum fare, with privilegeof the entire ship, is £11 on the Chicago, Z12 on

the Rockambeau, the maximum fare not exceeding £14.

The result is that young medical practitioners, who mostneed the education of travel but whose income as yet isinadequate for the expensive saloon fares, are now comingover freely. The principal difficulty is-and this appliesmore especially to teachers and professors-that the lattercan absent themselves only in the summer ; consequentlythe ships are then apt to be unpleasantly crowded. ThusI found last November that no less than 400 berths hadalready been retained for the sailings announced to take

place next June. The rush to Europe is from the last shipin May to the first ship in July, and the returning crowdsails from August 15th to Oct. 15th. At those periodsevery berth is occupied, wherefore the general sanitation,and especially the ventilation, of these ships becomes amatter of prime importance. As at least half the passengerswho profit by this opportunity are connected with education,the ships sailing at this season are now known as les bateauxscolaires, or the school ships.

The Good Effects likely to Ensue.There is ’also another cause of travel which may develop

considerably. In New York especially the summer weather,the excessive damp heat, is very trying. Many business menwho cannot afford to leave their offices, nevertheless endeavourto send their wives and families to the mountains or theseaside during the worst months. But this is extremelycostly, and many can ill afford the outlay. On the other hand,in the less frequented parts of Germany, France, or theArdennes good board and lodging can be obtained for 4s. a day,especially if a contract is made for a large party. Moreover,a substantial saving can be realised by the purchase of clothesin Europe instead of in America-I am not talking aboutshopping in the Rue de la Paix or in Bond-street. Finally, asthe Atlantic can now be crossed with all necessary comfortfor a reasonable sum, the New York business man of moderatemeans finds it actually cheaper for his wife and family tospend the summer in Europe than at an American watering.place. The one-class cabin, as this service is sometimescalled, is such a success that many more ships of the samesort are likely to be built ; and as this cannot be done fast

enough, some of the first-class ships-La Touraine for example-have been converted into the one-class cabin, that is second-class, style of ship. This evolution will be fraught with manyconsequences. In Europe we shall have an opportunity ofmaking wider acquaintance with the American people, and theunpleasant impression produced by some of the vulgar richwill, in a measure, be counteracted by the welcome presence ofthe less wealthy members of the intellectual class. In thesame way, as the latter class of visitors is naturally betterable to observe, appreciate, and to learn, it will carry backto America those impressions that tend to forward theinterests of civilisation at large. All these considerations,while bearing on a multitude of questions, clearly show thatthere will be in the near future a great augmentation ofAtlantic passenger traffic, so that the sanitation of shipsacquires increasing importance.

Experiments with Thermotanks.It was in the spring of 1908 that the Chicago made her

maiden trip. She is a ship of 11,105 tons and 9500 horse-power, and can accommodate 314 second-class and 1140third-class, or steerage, passengers. The crew numbers inall 231 men. To provide healthy quarters for 1700 personsin one single structure, even on land, is no easy matter, andat sea the difficulties become intensified. Of more recentconstruction than the Provence, the Chicago and theRochambeau are bettei ventilated. They do not depend onlyon the extracting power of ventilating fans. The Chicagohas 15 thermotanks, which are generally employed to

pump warmed air into the cabins: The total electric force

required to move the fans of these thermotanks is equal to62 brake-horse-power, and they are supposed to deliver3,850,000 cubic feet of air per hour. The pressure of steamfor heating is equal to 37 lb. per square inch, and the

temperature 2300 F. Experiments have been made as to theheating powers of these tbermotanks. Thermotank No. 1is credited with delivering 255,000 cubic feet per hour. Itsair trunk is 64 feet long and supplies two decks. When theoutside temperature was 52 F. the temperature in the fore-castle was 1040 F., in the emigrants’ quarters 960 F., and inthe hospital, on the lower deck, 1000 F. But with thermo-tank No. 2 going down three decks, while the air at thestart was 1140 F., it had fallen to 860 F. at the farthest

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point of an air trunk of 70 feet in length. The longestair trunk is 100 feet, and it may be said that from thethermotank the heated air loses about 20 per cent. of itsheat before it reaches the farthest end of the air trunk.Therefore those who like heat should get cabins as near aspossible to their thermotank. But if these cabins becomeoverheated and the inlet is closed, then there would be morewarm air delivered in the cabins that are not so hot because

they are farther off. Indeed, the passengers themselves, bywatching the temperature of their cabins and controlling theinlets, might very materially help to assure a more evendistribution of heat.

The Impossibility of rlzctonzcztic Ventilation.It was on Dec. 14th last that I sailed homewards on the

Chicago, and during the journey had many conversations withthe chief engineer about all these difficulties. It was mid-winter, just when the Atlantic was troubled by a successionof exceptionally severe storms. Everything that could beclosed had to be fastened as tightly as possible to keep outthe tempestuous waters. There was very little opportunityfor natural ventilation, except for the great air shafts thatabut on the upper deck by the funnels and feed the engine-room and stokehole. It is not the storms, however, butthe rapid changes of temperature that render the heatingand ventilating matters of such great difficulty. Thechief engineer said that the ship passed from the Polarcurrent, where the water was at 340 F., to the Gulfstream, where the water was at 730F., in the spaceof not more than an hour. Automatic regulators onlyfollowed a change of temperature, turning heat off or

. on. What was necessary was to anticipate such suddenchanges of temperature- so as to obviate their effects.This, he said, could be met only by a very watchful andintelligent staff. The passenger did not complain until sometime after he had been suffering ; this could be preventedonly by commencing to cool the ship before the hot streamwas reached, and to heat it before it penetrated the Polarstream. No system of ventilation would work by itself ;it required forethought, watchfulness, and experiencedguidance.

In the Cabins.On visiting the different parts of the ship I was much

impressed by the forecastle. Here the effect of the recent

legislation was distinctly visible. Each sailor had more

space for his berth ; 123 cubic feet is the legalminimum. Then there must be an inlet and an outletfor the air, together with proper means of warmingas well as of ventilating. Here we had a thermo-

tank just the same as that supplied to the most luxuriousstate-rooms. Consequently, the air was sweet and therewas an appearance of comfort and brightness whichconstituted a great improvement on what I have too oftenseen on old-fashioned ships. The numerous hospitals onboard were well supplied with natural and artificial light,and there was plenty of space. There are hospitals forwomen and for men, for infectious cases, for personsunder observation, a pharmacy, and an operating-room.On visiting the steerage and the third-class cabins I foundthat the remarks I made in my last communicationin regard to the Provence apply equally to the Chicago.As for the state cabins, an air-shaft goes throughthem all, and the passengers can open wide or partiallythe louvred inlet by which they receive air, warmedin cold weather, from the thermotank. Near the ceiling andthe floor there are apertures, so that the air from the cabinsfinds its way into the passages, where more or less naturalventilation carries it out. If the full complement of fourpersons sleep in these cabins they must be somewhat

cramped for space. But this rarely happens, and on theRochambeau, the cabins are larger. Cabins should be a little

longer than the beds, so that at the end there may be spacefor hanging up clothes, for little handbags, or for some smalldrawers. To pull a heavy cabin trunk from under the berthfor every little trifle wanted during the voyage is somewhattrying, especially if the weather is so rough that the trunkshave to be lashed in their places to prevent their beingthrown across the cabin.

Art of the Chef: : Hygiene of the Kitchen.Of course, I did not fail to visit the chef. All the officers

on board were particularly proud of their culinary colleagueand felt how much the success of the French line depended on

the choice of its chefs. At the time of my visit the ship’ssurgeon was deeply immersed in Brillat-Savarin’s "Physiologiedu Gout" which the cook had lent him ; but the latter

explained to me that he found Escoffier more useful.His bookshelf was well filled : there was a culinaryencyclopaedia, and among many other books quite a

large volume devoted solely to the cooking of eggs. Inanswer to my questions, the chef explained that when hewas employed by a British company he was not allowedto cook as he thought proper, for the English passengerscould not appreciate delicate flavouring. One of the bestdishes he ever made, a specially prepared pate, was tootasty for the saloon passengers, and the greater parthad to be eaten in the kitchen and by the crew.

Judging from my experience on the Chicago, it seems thatgourmets will have to travel on second - class boats tofind the operators who know their trade. On these one-cabin boats there is compulsory dining. The passengers arenot given the opportunity to feed badly, as in the first-classsaloon. They are not allowed to order tasteless dishes andto eat them in the wrong order. Nor are they allowed toeat too quickly. Meals-lunch of four courses and dinnerof five courses, properly ordered, flavoured, and artisticallycooked-are served in due order, at very cheap prices.Further, though we had a fierce storm lasting three daysand were pitched about unmercifully, I noticed comparativelylittle seasickness. Finally, I must add that the kitchen iswell-ventilated and constantly cleaned out. The cooks havethe necessary facilities for washing and keeping themselvesclean, and my observation showed that they availed them-selves of these sanitary advantages. Such are some of thereasons which assure the growing success of this new phaseof ocean travel. But while it increases the frequency ofinter-oceanic intercourse, it also augments the responsi-bilities of those who control the sanitation of the floatingtowns that now so frequently cross the broad and turbulentexpanse of the Atlantic.

MANCHESTER.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

National Medical Union a Permanent Organisation.THE annual general meeting of the National Medical

Union was held in Manchester on Jan. 28th, Mr. WilliamCoates presiding. Mr. F. H. Westmacott introduced a motion,which was seconded by Dr. J. Brassey Brierley, proposing thatas a temporary organisation the union should cease to exist,and that it should be reformed into a permanent organisationof men who decline to allow their names to appear on theInsurance Act lists or panels, and who refuse to work theAct until the conditions of service are acceptable and con-formable to the honour and dignity of the profession. Itwas felt that it was necessary to have a union to supportnon-panel men and to be a rallying point for those who

might retire from service of the Act at any time. Themotion was carried. The following rider was added tomeet the case of men who, it was reported, intend shortly toretire from the panels :-That members of the union and others who have joined the panels,

but who intend to retire at the earliest opportunity, should retain theirmembership of the union, but if at the end of three months they donot so retire, they shall ipso facto cease co be members.

A Bishop on the Insurance Act and the Medical Profession.The Bishop of Manchester, speaking at Manchester

Cathedral on Sunday night, paid a tribute to the medicalprofession. He said that so strong is the faith that thecauses of disease are not beyond our control, that he didnot hesitate to say that if a physician were given an oppor-tunity to choose between the power of working miracles asour Lord did and the power of discovering, for instance, thecause of cancer, he would undoubtedly choose the latter-The Bishop expressed his opinion of the attitude of thedoctors to the Insurance Act in the following terms :-

It has appeared to some people as though the whole grievance hasbeen a dispute over sixpence ; but, so far as I can judge, they havedesired only to secure that the work under the Act shall be thoroughand not scamped ; that the diseases of the poor should be regarded asimportant in the initial stages, and receive the same careful attentionas the diseases of the rich.

It has not only been that they have contended strongly that theirprofessional work should be submitted to the judgment of people whocould understand it, but they have been really fighting the battle of