The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-08 00:00:00

THE SCIENCE AND U7ILITY OF

VENTILATION.

A lecture on this interesting topic was delivered
at the Hanover-square Rooms, on Wednesday, by
Professor Pepper, well known as the late scientific
and enterprising conductor of the Polytechnic
Institution, Regent-street. The fame of the lec-
turer and the importance of his subject brought
together a numerous and fashionable audience, and
the lecture was, in the hands of Professor Popper,
made to embrace the whole science of the subject
of ventilation in its relation to health and the
general condition of civilised life. The lecturer
commenced by referring to the history of ventilation,
and traced the first rude attempts of the Egyptians,
the Grecians, and the Romans, many years before
the beginning of the Christian era, to obtain ven-
tilation and coolness in the summer, and an escape
for the smoke of their fires in the winter.
Thus it appeared that the science of ventilation
was early understood, and earnest efforts were
made to reduce it to practice by the learned men
of those nations. The topic was introduced in the
writings of many of the old Roman poets. The
ancients made certain apertures or holes in their
buildings for the purpose of ventilation; chimneys
were not invented till about the twelfth or four-
teenth century. Having thus complied with the
requirements of a history-loving people, Mr.
Pepper proceeded to the broad and modern prin-
ciples of ventilation, which are based upon the
well-known law of the expansion of all bodies,
solid, liquid, or gaseous, by heat, and their contrac-
tion by cold. In illustration of this principle, a
variety of interesting experiments m ere per-
formed, exhibiting conclusively the action of this
rigid and unswerving natural law, which by the
application of 'artificial means and contrivances is
made subservient to the necessities of civilization.
The iron rod, the professor showed by actual
experiment, when heated in the boiling water, re-
fused to re-enter the guage till restored to its former
temperature ; water rose in the thermometer by the
application of heat; and a balloon filled with warm
air by means of Leslie's glass stove ascended to the
ceiling till the air became cool, when it immediately
collapsed, and descended upon the heads of the
audience. Proceeding thus, step by step, from the
very elements of the science, we were gradually led
up to its more intricate and subtle workings; and the
various systems of ventilation now in vogue in the
Houses of Parliament, in public buildings, dwelling-
houses, and coal mines were severally brought under
the notice of the audience, and illustrated by various
models and experiments. The importance of ventila-
tion in its relation to human health was clearly pointed
out and further illustrated by reference to an able
paper written by Miss Florence Nightingale in the
transactions of the Society for Promoting Social
Science. This lady's hospital experience was most
valuable in.pointing out the necessity for a continu-
ous supply of fresh air, and plenty of it, for nothing
could produce a more deleterious effect in the con-
dition of the sick than a limited and impure supply
of this healthy element. The danger of catching
cold had been greatly exaggerated, more wiper
cially in a country like England, where fuel is
cheap, and where the patient may be sufficiently
protected by an ample supply of clothing. No-
thing could compensate for a deficient supply of
air ; no artificial means would suffice ; the only
real remedy was to throw open the windows,
and so obtain a plentiful inlet of pure air. The hos-
pitals in Paris, though ample, and even magnifi-
cent in their dimensions, Mr. Pepper pointed out,
were incapable of conferring the whole of their pos-
sible and intended advantages, from the simple
reason that the ventilation was carried on by arti-
ficial means. In the morniug, when the wards were
opened, they were found to contain a close and
vitiated atmosphere, which was sure to exercise an
unsalutary effect on the health of the patients.
The simplest inventions in all matters of science
were generally those of the widest practical utility.
The inventions of Roscommon and Watt in the
steam engine were unsurpassed in the simplicity of
their action and their usefulness. The invention
of the screw propeller consisted of nothing
more than the application of one of the
most elementary laws of mechanics ; and
the grandest and most wonderful discove-
ries of the age had not depended, as a rule, upon
deep and abstruse researches into science, but the
application by practical men of first and simple
prir_ciples. For an illustration it was not necessary
to look further than the safety lamp of Davy, or
the self-recording telegraph of Lordlier. While dis-
coveries, which had offered a broad field for every
scientific researcher in the kingdom were floating
in the minds of the astute and learned of all classes,
Humphrey Davy electrified the whole of these
savants by the production of his..miner's safety lamp,
which was practically nothing more than an mcko-
sure of the flame in a shade of fine wire gauze ;
in
fact, an application of a principle whose plainness
and simplicity bad rendered it an object of dis-
regai d to all this eminent philosopher's predecessors.
But But the object was attained, and the miner
to leave his lamp burning in the mine, or to carry
it with him into any atmosphere where he himself

It was publicly announced by the officials of the
London brigade on Saturday at noon that this terri-
ble fire had been extinguished. That report, how-
ever, unfortunately, turned out to be untrue, for
during Saturday night and yesterday (Sunday)
morning, a sudden outbreak of flames took place in
the immense vaults under the walls which killed
Mr. Braidwood and Mr. Scott. The two power-
ful steam floating engines were at once
again called into requisition, but the flames still
continued their violence. Further explosions of
tallow casks and oil tierces were continually tak-
ing place to the danger of the firemen. Engineers
J. and G. Gerrard, Alfred Foger, and Medealf,
did all they possibly could to get the devour-
ing element extinguished, but as fast as the water
was projected from the machinery the fire seemed
to be forced into sundry other portions, driving the
blazing fat far towards the London-bridge end of
Chamberlain's-wharf.

A novel engine was procured yesterday from
Bermondsey, for the purpose of pumping the tallow
and oil out of the vaults. The machine, however,
proved of no use, and not a portion of tallow or
even oil would it lift, and one of the head brigade
engines was then called into requisition for
the sane object, it being found that if die men
were allowed to remain in the vaults, some of them
who were collecting tallow would be suffocated,
owing to the great effluvia sent through the whole
of the remaining vaults. Owing to the thickness
of the tallow, as it in some measure became cooled,
it was unable to pass through the hose into the suc-
tion pipe, and consequently could only pass occa-
sionally through the engine. Men, it is feared, will
therefore, be obliged to again wade knee deep
through the melted tallow to collect it together.
Some doubts having been entertained as to whether
sufficient of the remains of the unfortunate Mr.
Scott had been found to justify tjie coroner in hold-
ing an inquest, he at first refused, but Mr. O'Conner,
his partner, having written to him, and pointed out
that he could swear to the property found as hav-
ing been in his possession at the time he met with
his untimely death, Mr. Sergeant Payne, at the re-
quest of Mr. O'Connor, has consented to hold an
inquest this day, at one o'clock, in the vestry-hall
of St. Olave's Church.

Men were engaged last night in pouring down
chloride of lime into the sewers to kill, if possible,
the noxious vapours rising from them, and diffusing
themselves over the neighbourhood, which made a
marked change in the atmosphere.

NARROW .ESCAPE OF THE "FEMALE

BLONDIN" AT THE ALHAMBRA.

A writer in a contemporary says—l think you
will not deem unworthy of notice a circumstance
which occurred on Friday evening at the Alhambra
Palace, when the crowded benches were waiting in
breathless expectation to see the " Female Blondin "
make her " terrific ascent." The side lopes were
being drawn taut, and everything would have been
ready in a few seconds ; in five minutes, I imagine,
the fearless rope-walker would have walked proudly
isolated in the centre of the fretted dome, wham
suddenly a loud thud was heard, like the sound of
a huge muffled drum ; a shudder ran round the
iron-boundgalleries and thrilled through the breasts
of the audience; for an instant every heart beat
quickly and every eye was confused ; and then the
ragged strands of the broken tight-rope were seen
dangling in mid-air.
I need not enlarge on the sensation of relief that
ensued when the trifling nature of the accident was
understood ; I would rather speak of the painful
reaction of feeling that was experienced when we
thought what would have been the fate of the poor
lady if the rope had burst asunder a few minutes
later. Surely, sir, if the law cannot hinder such
dangerous exhibitions, it should at any rate be able
to control the conditions under which they are pro-
duced. The breaking of this rope should be made
a matter of strict investigation, and it should be
seen that none but competent persons have the
management of details on which the life of a fellow-
creature must depend. Five minutes later no skill
in rope-walking, nay, no power on earth, could
have save the " Female Blondin " from a dreadful
death. For her sake, and for the sake of other
lives that are risked for the general amusement, the
public are in duty bcund to demand an explanation.
Happily the evening did not end tragically. Zhe
audience were disappointed of their show, but felt
rejoiced that the rope had so well chosen its time.
The manager lamented the mischance ; but he an-
nounced blandly that " all would be set right by
tomorrow," and an instant later he led forward,
gaily dressed, bowing and smiling, the lady who
but a few seconds before had stood on the brink of
so frightful a precipice.