Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-09-26
Whole Number III.
Whr RrIaemIe. R.r, :, r,r.,.


/ Il was one night that four thou
sand perished in the plague Of Lon
don Of 1865. 1t was at night that
the army Of Sennacherib was de-
sroyed. Both in England and on
the continent a large proportion of
cholera cases, in its several forms,
have been observed to have occurred
between one and two O'Clock in the
morning. The "danger OF exposure
to the night air" has been theme Of
physicians from time immemorial;
but is remarkable that they have ne
Ver yet called in the aid Of chemis.
try to account for the fact.
1t is at night that the streams of
air nearest the ground must always
be the most charged with the parii-
cles Of animalised matter given out
from the skin, aud deleterious gases,
such as carbonic acid gas, the pro-
duct Of respiration, and suIphuretted
hydrogen, the product OF the sewers.
In the day, gasses and yaporous SUBJ
stances Of all kinds rise in the air BY
the rarefaction Of heat; at night, when
the rarefaction leaves them, they~
fall by an increase OF gravity, il i'm.
perfectly mixed With the atmosphere,
while the gasses evolved during the
night, instead Of ascending, remain
at nearly the same level. tits known
that carbonic acid gas at low tenn
perature partakes so nearly OF the
nature OF a fluid, that it NAV be
poured out Of one vessel into anoth-
er; il rises at the temperature at
which it is exhaled from the lungs,
but its tendency is towards the floor,
or the bed Of the sleeper, in cold and
rooms.
At Hamburg, the alarm Of cholera
at night, in some parts OF the city,
was so great, that on some occasions
many refused to go to bed, lest they
should be attacked unawares in their
sleep. Sitting up, they probably
sept their stoves or open fires burn
ng for the sake Of warmth, and that
warmth giving the expansion to any
gases present, which
would best promote their escape, and
promote their dilution in the atmos-
'here, the means OF safety were thus
assured. At Sierra
4eone, the natives have a practice,
n the sickly season, OF keeping fires
burning in their huts at
light, assigning that the fires keep
way the evil spirits, to which in
heir ignorance they attribute the
ever and ague. Latterly, Europeans
ave begun 10 adopt the same prac-
ice, and those that have tried it as
ert that they have entire immunity
rom the tropical levers to which
hey were formerly subject.
IN the epidemics OF the middle
ges fires used to be lighted in the
treets for the publication of the air;
nd in the plague of London, Of 1865,
res in the streets were at one-tims
epI burning necessarily, till extin-
uished by a violent storm Of rain.
.atterly, trains Of gunpowder have
cen fired, and cannon discharged for
ne same object; but il is obvious that
iese measures, although sound in
must, necessarily, out of
Oors, be on too small scale as meas
red against an ocean Of atmospheric
r, to produce any sensible effect.
githin doors, however, the case is
fferent. ltis quite possible to heat
room to produce a rarelaction and
dilution Of any malig-
ant gases it may contain; and it is
course the air Of the room, and
lat alone, at night, which cones in -
} immediate contact with the lungs
person sleeping.
WSeyy,7j51 n Skey- Re1,ie1e