§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he can inform the House of the result of the recent examination of its air; and whether he will apply the same scientific test to the atmosphere of other public buildings, such as the Central Criminal Court and the British Museum Library.
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. AKERS DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sThe tests of the air in this chamber show a very good result as regards the amount of carbonic acid, which was only 5.2 volumes in 10,000—very little in excess of the quantity usually met with in the air of cities, and far less than what is generally present in places of assembly. The bacteriological test revealed an undue number of micro-organisms, but none of them are found to be disease producing. The full reports of Dr. Thorpe, the Principal of the Government Laboratory, will be laid before the Select Committee on the ventilation of the House; and I propose that further experiments shall be made in order to discover the cause of the presence of so many microbes, with a view to taking suitable measures of improvement. I will consider the hon. 651 Member's suggestion as to other Government buildings, but the Central Criminal Court is not in any way under my control.