Y fitting on the main soil pipe, and vented from the crown of the trap through a 2-inch lead branch pipe connecting with a vertical vent riser. In most cases the trap forming the base of the closet did not rest on the floor, the closet being held by the connection with the soil pipe. The closet should rest on the floor slab. The bowl of the closets is generally white earthenware with a flushing rim. Most of them have individual flush tanks operated by pull and supplied with water from street or tank pressure. majority of the bowls of the closets were well flushed and in reasonably cleanly condition. A few were foul, due to lack of attention. Thirteen per cent only of the closets were deficient in water supply. The tanks of a few were also out of order.

hand

The

These same deficiencies would doubtless be found to some extent in high-class private dwellings.

WATER-CLOSETS IN CELLARS AND BASEMENTS

The water-closets in cellars and basements, even of modern buildings, are generally badly lighted and ventilated and in foul condition. Some closets were found in vaults under the sidewalk. Unless used by resident tenants they receive no proper care. They are generally used by the janitor or by the occupants of basement or cellar stores. Some of the compartments are used for storage, and the water in the trap evaporates through disuse. In the majority of strictly tenement houses it would probably be desirable to prohibit water-closets in cellars or basements not used as tenements; and require that watercloset accommodations for the stores be placed on the first floor. Individual buildings would doubtless require some modification of this regulation. It may be said in general that the uncleanly condition of the water-closets and compartments noted, amounting to 33 per cent of those examined, is in part due to the personal character of the janitor and in part to the character and nationality of tenants. For these cases official oversight and periodic inspection must supplement structural improvements.

WATER-CLOSETS IN APARTMENTS

Twenty per cent of the buildings examined under this special sanitary inspection were provided with water-closets within the apartments. These were generally a good grade of modern tenement building, with tenants composed of the characteristic tenement population of the better class. Ninety-two per cent of these closets. were found to be in clean condition. Some of them were a cheap form of earthenware closet, with hardwood seats attached to the bowl or wall, free of enclosing woodwork, and with individual flush tanks

operated by a chain and pull. The seats in many cases were broken at the hinges, due to the cheap class of fixture. Most of the closets were in compartments also containing a bath-tub, opening on a light well of fair proportions. The upper floors were well lighted, the lower floors fairly well lighted. These bath-rooms usually contained more or less household furniture and effects, but were on the whole in reasonably clean condition, and superior to the water-closets in the halls. The cheap character of the earthenware water-closet fixtures offers some dangers not found in the cheaper class of short hopper closets generally used in the hall water-closets. The floor connection of the earthenware closets depends for security on good material and workmanship, and its condition cannot generally be determined by inspection. The short hopper closets have a cast-iron trap calked with metallic lead into a hub on the soil pipe open to inspection—a more secure connection, but not so neat in appearance. The earthenware closets of the "wash down" type are superior in cleanliness to the short hoppers with enamelled iron traps, but strict official oversight should be given where all earthenware closets are used. An example illustrating the importance of proper supervision will be found under the heading "Tests of Plumbing." In so far as the plumbing is concerned, the water-closets in halls are as secure as those in the individual apartments, but there is apt to be greater cleanliness observed where the closets are in the apartments. In the event of contagious or infectious diseases, individual closets in the apartments are undoubtedly safer. On the ground of privacy, especially for the women and children of the family, they are much to be preferred.

SINKS IN APARTMENTS AND PUBLIC HALLS

In all of the buildings examined, sinks with faucets for drawing water were found either in the apartments or in the public halls on each floor. Twenty-seven per cent of the buildings examined had sinks in the halls of the buildings. The total percentage of tenements with these public hall sinks is undoubtedly greater, as the majority of the buildings examined were of recent date. It has been the general practice for the past thirty years to place the sinks in the apartments. Buildings of earlier date usually have the hall sinks. The sinks in all cases seen, with one exception, were cast iron. The hall sinks are generally placed in a recess or alcove in the wall on the upper floors, and under the stairs on the first floor. In some cases they are on the stair landings. The halls are generally very dark, except when the doors of apartments are open. They generally have a wooden rim with a sheet metal flashing above the sink, and wood casing or door below the sink, enclosing the space beneath