Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x24gv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-01T10:30:40.233Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Atmosphere of the Underground Electric Railways of London: A Study of its Bacterial Content in 1920

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. Graham Forbes
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. The bacterial content of the air of the Underground Railways, when the average of all results of the bacteriological investigations is taken, does not numerically compare unfavourably with the outside air of London.

2. The ratio of the number of organisms growing at room temperature appears to be about 14 for railway air to 10 outside air. For those growing at body temperature the ratio is considerably higher, namely 2 to 1 respectively. The mean per litre, for room temperature organisms, is about 9 in railway air, 6·3 in the outside air; for body temperature organisms 4·6 for railway air, 2·2 for outside air.

3. The bacterial content of platform air, except on the City and South London Railway, would appear to be higher than that of carriage air; the total mean for platform air being 52 and for carriage air 42·8 organisms per 5 litres, or a ratio of 16·4 and 13·5 respectively to 10 of the open air. The higher proportion in platform air is generally speaking to be accounted for by the greater amount of draught and dust disturbance.

4. The ratios of the total bacterial content of railway carriage air and carriage and platform air on the six lines to open air are estimated in the following proportions:

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , December 1923 , pp. 123 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1923

References

REFERENCES

(1)Andrewes, F. W. (1902). Examination of the Atmosphere of the Central London Railway. Report No. 615 to the Parliamentary Committee, London County Council.Google Scholar
(2)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Carbonic Acid, Organic matter and Microorganisms in Air, more especially in Dwellings and Schools, 1886. Philos. Trans. CLXXVII B. 61–111.Google Scholar
(3)Graham-Smith, G. S. (1903). The Microorganisms in the Air of the House of Commons. Journ. Hygiene, III. 498–513.Google Scholar
(4)Gordon, M. H. (1906). Bacteriological Report in Section iv of the Investigation of the Ventilation of the Debating Chamber of the House of Commons, Cd. 3068, p. 17.Google Scholar
(5)Soper, G. A. (1908). The Air and Ventilation of Subways. (New York. John Wiley and Sons.) Pp. 244; (a) p. 43; (b) p. 165; (c) p. 189; (d) p. 166; (e) p. 169; (f) p. 166; (g) p. 64.Google Scholar
(6)Frankland, P. F. (1887). A new method for the quantitative estimation of the micro-organisms present in Atmosphere. Philos. Trans, CLXXVIII. 115.Google Scholar
(7)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Philos. Trans, p. 90et seq.Google Scholar
(8)Carnelly, T. and Foggie, J. (1893–1894). The Air of Schools. Journ. Pathol. and Bact. II. 157–173.Google Scholar
(9)Hiss, and Zinsser, (1918). Textbook of Bacteriology. (Bacteria in Air), p. 684.Google Scholar
(10)Hodgson, A. W. Heating and Ventilating Magazine, 05, 1910. “A Report by A. W. Hodgson on the Hudson River Tubes.”Google Scholar
(11)Andrewes, F. W. (1907-1908). Sewer Air and Air of Drains. Local Gov. Board Reports, 1906–1907.Google Scholar
(12)Horrocks, W. H. (v. 1907). Public Health, XIX.Google Scholar
(13)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Philos. Trans. pp. 92 and 95.Google Scholar
(14)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Philos. Trans. p. 90.Google Scholar
(15)Trillat, and Mailein, (1920). Sur le sort des projections microbiennes dans l'air. Influence de l'humidité. Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. pp. 1291–3.Google Scholar
(16)Sternberg, G. M. (1893). Manual of Bacteriology.Google Scholar
(17)Chester, F. D. (1901). Manual of Determinative Bacteriology.Google Scholar
(18)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Philos. Trans, p. 99.Google Scholar
(19)Castellani, A. (1920). Milroy Lectures.Google Scholar
(20)Carnelly, T., Haldane, J. S. and Anderson, A. M. (1887). Philos. Trans. pp. 106–107.Google Scholar