written description of the internal arrangement of the rooms. Water is provided on every floor, allowing of the daily consumption per head of eighteen quarts. Each set of apartments has store-closets, with drawers and shelves; a shoot to the dust-hole below, for the refuse, which is removed every day; and the use of a vault under the building. The fire-place in each room is supplied with air from without; and all the partition-walls are of brick, so that one neighbour may not overhear another. On each landing are English waterclosets. Liberty, privacy, and cleanliness, are three of the chief points aimed at in the establishment. "May God aid us, and man be favourable," was M. Godin-Lemaire's invocation, on laying the corner-stone of the building. He desired to give his workmen a home that would raise their self-respect, develope their personal dignity; and he has nobly carried out his desire. Many further advantages, as I have said, are afforded. The wives are enabled to employ some of their time profitably in the general cleaning, apart from that required in their own apartments. A nursery, which he calls the pouponnat, is provided for children from their birth till about two years old; for such mothers as may desire at times to make use of it, a preparatory school (the bambinat), for children between two and five; and a more advanced school for those between five and twelve. The wives and daughters supply the nurses; and a highly-educated young lady, a relative of the proprietor, has the general superintendence of these, and of the school. A visit to her house on Sunday is one of the great rewards of the scholars. The School is carried on by a young professor from Paris. No one is bound to send his children to it, any more than he is bound to live in the establishment. The school and nursery cost the parents nothing, being included in the rent. And now, what is the rent charged for these advantages? The unfurnished apartments are let at the rate of 3s. 9d. per calendar month for each room! A furnished room for a single man, containing an iron bedstead, two mattresses, chairs, table, washhand-stand, slop-pail, looking-glass, two clean towels a-week, the bed-linen changed twice a month, the bed made and room set right every day, costs 6s. 8d. a month. While a separate bed in a dormitory attached can be obtained at one penny a-day! How then, say those who have built houses for working men, and cottages for their labourers in the country, can any interest at all on capital invested be obtained, still less 6 per cent. as stated? The solution of the problem would seem to be, at any rate, aided by this; that on the ground floor are retail shops, where, for a sum including a small percentage above the wholesale prices, butchers' meat, vegetables, ready-male clothes, in fact, everything required by the tenants, can be obtained. The workmen are given fully to understand that nothing is gratuitous; they pay for all they have, but through good arrangements get comforts cheap, and yet give the proprietor good interest for his money. I should add that there is a restaurant where the unmarried man can get his meals at the cost of from 8d. to 1s. per day; baths and wash-houses can be used at a small charge; a medical man calls every morning, paid by a mutual benefit society established amongst themselves, while a musical association of eighty of the tenants contributes to the general enjoyment. The picture is so charming that were it merely of what might be, many would hesitate to admit the probability of its realisation; but when we find that it represents what has been going on for four years, all must admit that it deserves, at any rate, to be further examined. It has been suggested that a deputation of members of the Association, who would make a journey to Guise and report fully the result of their investigation and inquiry, would do good, should their report confirm the truth of the statements that have reached us, by leading to the formation of similar establishments in this country. Meanwhile, let us do honour to the noble endeavour of M. Godin-Lemaire to elevate the condition and promote the well-being and happiness of those who, by the right discharge of their duties, contribute in their turn to his own prosperity. HEALTH. President. EDWIN LANKESTER, M.D., F.R.S. GEORGE GODWIN, F.R.S. | Mr. ALDERMAN W. FISHER, J.P. Secretaries. WM. HARDWICKE, M.D. ROBERT RAWLINSON, C.E. HENRY JACKSON. Local Secretaries. J. DANIEL LEADER. This Department considers the various questions relating to Public Health; it collects statistical evidence of the relative healthiness of different localities, of different industrial occupations, and generally of the influence of external arcumstances in the production of health or disease; it discusses improvements in house-construction (more especially as to the dwellings of the labouring classes), in drainage, warming, ventilation; public baths and washhouses; adaiteration of food, and its effects; recreation and amusement; the functions of Government in relation to public health; the legislative and administrative machinery expedient for its preservation; sanitary police, quarantine, &c.; poverty in relation to disease; and the effect of unhealthiness on the property of places and nations. SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS. THE following special questions were discussed in this Depart ment: "In what way can the unnecessary Exposure of Workmen to dangers of Life or Health be best avoided, especially in Col lieries, Mines, and Manufactories? "What are the best means, of preventing the spread of Contagious Diseases?" "To what extent can the Contamination of Air in Towns be diminished, and by what means? In addition to the papers printed in the foregoing pages, the following were read in the Department . - "In what way can the Unnecessary Exposure of Workmen to dangers of Life or Health, be best avoided especially in Collieries, Mines, and Manufactories? By W. T. Maddison. "The Cattle Plague." By Professor Gamgee. "The Use of Dry Surface Earth as a deodoriser, and in the removal of excrementitious matter, preventing and diminishing the Contamination of Air in Towns." By the Rev. Henry Moule. "On Warming and Ventilation." By W. Corbitt. "The United States Sanitary Commission." By the Rev. W. H. Channing. "On Criminal Infant Mortality." By W. E. C. Nourse, F.R.C.S. "Home for Destitute Women and Children." W. W. Malet. By the Rev. "A few thoughts on Infanticide." By M. A. Baines. "The late Dr. Carson's Method of Slaughtering Animals for the Food of Mankind." By P. M. Carson. "On the moral treatment of Insanity." By J. A. Blake, M.P. UNHEALTHY OCCUPATIONS. "In what way can the unnecessary exposure of Workmen to dangers of Life or Health be best avoided, especially in Collieries, Mines, and Manufactories?" IN N addition to the papers by Mr. Holland and Mr. Hall, printed at p. 377, 382, Mr. William Baker gave an account of the Sheffield Lead Works, employing forty men and twenty women. following is an abstract of his paper :— The The separate departments are the following:-1. Lead Refining; 2. White Lead; 3. Red Lead; 4. Paint Grinding; 5. Cooperage, 1. Refining Lead.-Two men are constantly employed; sometimes four. Their work consists in transferring the lead from one pan to another. The lead is not kept at a high temperature, and with ordinary care in removing the dross these men need not be exposed to any dust of oxide. The refining house is spacious and well ventilated. The men employed exclusively in this department do not appear to suffer in any degree from lead poisoning, although, of course, subject to the atmosphere of the white lead department, immediately |