THE MODERN FLOOR
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Ssa,—Mr. G. M. Boumphrey's articles on the modern home are always of interest. With regard to the one on floors, I have something to say. I take it that Mr. Bounaphrey has neither had to do cooking in a concrete-floored kitchen, nor has he ever danced for an evening on a concrete floor. I have done both in the course of a fairly long life, and know that concrete is desperately tiring, and that nothing in the way of carpeting -even with felt—prevents the deadly chill that strikes upwards. , Also the wear is severe on carpets over concrete, and unfortunately ;concrete sweats I Mr. Boumphrey "does not know whether the .bogey of rubber drawing the feet' still persists." This is really amusing ; rubber still " draws the feet," this beirsg no "bogey " but an actual fact. Does Mr. Botunphrey not know that rubber is an active poison to some people, causing an agonizing skin eruption ? , We need " resilience" in our floors, . My statements are the result of experience.—I ana, Sir, &c., [Mr. Bountphrey writes : " I have spent a. gond, many hours of my life on concrete floors of all sorts—and I agree that they can be both, tiring and .cold if they are not properly treated. But does E. O.' think that the luxury hotels would put up with them if they caused their customers discomfort ? And what of the modern shops and office buildings Between carpet: or linoleum and concrete should be laid one of the insulating boards made for the purpose. These cost less than 2s. 60. a square yard and give a far snore luxurious tread than the same carpet on felt and a timber floor. A cheaper alternative is a material called " Linovent." Concrete does not sweat after it has once dried out—unless it has been put down by an extraordinarily incompetent firm. There should never be the,very slightest trouble in this respect, and carpets should actually last longer on concrete. Does 'II. 0.' seriously maintain that the poison in a rubber floor is virulent enough to strike its victim through his or her footwear—or eVen to 'draw the feet ' ? It would seem as reasonable to censure it on this count as to prohibit strawberries because they also are poison to some. Shades of Dr. Boteler ! ".1
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