The distribution of tuberculous diseases in Glasgow ; with observations on the relation of phthisis to room-density / by A.K. Chalmers.

  • Chalmers, A. K. (Archibald Kerr), 1856-1942.
Date:
[1897?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The distribution of tuberculous diseases in Glasgow ; with observations on the relation of phthisis to room-density / by A.K. Chalmers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    approaching this question of respiratory impurity in dwelHnors from a consideration of the number of persons contributing to it; in other words, from the number of persons per room in the several statistical divisions of the city. It will be seen later that in each district of the city where the Phthisis death- rate exceeds the mean, there also the room-density of the district is in excess,f and it is probable that, when excessive room-density exists apart from excessive prevalence of Phthisis, the respiratory impurity of the dwelling is kept within limits by one or other, but most likely by a combination of all the circumstances already alluded to as influencing it. It will be observed that room-density, as here used, does not primarily concern itself with the number of rooms per house, nor does it, except indirectly, relate to the varying cubic space per room ; the question, indeed, of the care which is exercised in renewing the air of dwellings, and in keeping it as free as may be from the products of the various * Measurements taken in 1886 of 991 houses in the Saltmarket and its vicinity showed a mean cubic space of i, 163 feet in one-roomed houses, and 930 and 927 cubic feet in the rooms of two and three-roomed houses respectively while in two more recently built areas the one-roomed houses were larger and the rooms of two and three-roomed houses only slightly under the size of their one-roomed houses. In Laurieston, on the other hand, the average cubic space in 100 one-roomed houses measured was 156 feet less than in those of the Saltmarket area, (See Vital Statistics of Glasgow, P. IL, p. 70-Dr. RusselL June, 1886.) The minimum air space required per adult inmate was raised in 1890 to 400 cubic feet, and, by the Building Regulations Act, 1892 no newly-erected one-roomed house may have less than 1,000; no two-roomed ' house less than 1,600; and no three-roomed house less than 2,400 cubic feet of free air space. + For convenience, death-rates and room-density are here spoken of as excessive when they exceed the mean for the city.