The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-01

the following paper was presented by Dr. Lindsey
when on motion OF DR. Morgan, was resolved tha,
be published in the newspapers Of The city,
F. HOWARD. M. d,
Secretary Pathological Society.
lhe Importance OF abundant and constant supply Of
pure, fresh air 10 health and vigor both Of body and
mind, no sufficiently appreciated BY the public, and
profession Nearly all buildngs, public mud private,
are iamentaby deficient in their arrangements or rather
want OF arrapgsnen,s, ior efficient ventilation.
'ns xsa.isi estimate oi physloogsta that each IN
TO enjoy perfect health The lowest calculation that
have seen is that OF 1eadgod, who says that four feet
per minute are Indispensable while DR. Reed, the super.
inenden OF the ventatng department OF the new Par
lament House, thinks il desirable furnish each meu-
Der with 60 cabc feet per minute. Ii supplied
with less than 10 feet for any considerable length Of
limes MS health must necessarily suter and the will
be manifested in various ways--by headache loss OF
appetite sallow complexion, OF energy aud general
debility Nor are lis III effects confined TO ply steal
depression Tor the intellectual faculties become torpid
and incapable of their highest manifestations This in
furious effect upon the mind and body sometimes exhb-
ed ~ lew hoars as IN crowded assemblies and dense
public meetings while, in other cases. its mschisvous
consequences slow and nsidous but not less
certain IN their approach
Every physician almost daily melancholy exam
pies OF the ruth Of this statement We often see Iami
lies OF nve or SIX individuals crowded into room
perhaps 10 feet square and feet high, and warmed
by that most injurious article, an air.i,ght stove,
thus eheciuay preventing the little ventilation which
an open fireplace would allow. Such room contains
20lS cubic feet, just air enough to supply persons
with 10 cubic ee per minute, for 10 minues And YET
these people may remain in this Tor hours together
wth no other change OF ar than an occasional opening
of ibe door will supply. 1t is fortunate circumstance
that our houses are constructed with such loose windows
and so many openings and cevices, suocalion would
~ many instances he the result Of this gross neglect OF
the laws OF lie. All classes su1er or less from ou
repIeheneibe inaenon TO this subject but its niu,i-
GUS consequences fall OF course, heavily on The poor
who are unable TO uxurate in the spacious rooms the
lofty ceilings and the extended accommodations of Their
wealthy neghbors The poor suffer by day, but especially
by night Then The whole family who perhaps have been
scattered during the day by varied occupations are col
leced INTO their contracted apartments The doors, and
IN cold weather the windows elully closed as il
especial pains were taken TO deprive themselves OF the
lille means OF ventilation their -conslf uced ienements
allowed them Let us look al their condition little
closely The rooms occupied by majority Of our more
humble classes not than 10 feet square by
feel high. containing lltlic over 2o0 cubic feet Ii viii
not be an ovefestmaie 10 calculate that each OF these
rooms Will be occupied eight houff night after night by
three human beings and yei the caicuaion shows us
that this room contains AR enough to last them only 40
minutes
And even in houses OF more pretension, with occu
pants OF more intelligence, the state of things s often
lnlle better, HeIe we may have chamber IS feet
square, by IL fee high. occupied by The parents aud two
ot three children twho BY The way require quite much
air adults from the greater apdy OF their respiration
and circulation all ingress OF AR carefully excluded and
even the chimney c sed by the worse than superhuous
lire board and here they remain eight hours While
in less than ninsty iavies there cubic foot OF
pure air remaining in the whole The small room
over the passage which III most OF houses 10 appro
pIiasd to two more children, from IFS Cramped dmen
sons is still more destructive TO health Again. look a,
The mlseraby crowded and Ill ventilated apartments 10
which seamsiresses. shoenakers ia,lors pnters aad
many other artisans pursue Their daily avocaions. Du
ring the whole winter season, when the windows and
doors closed they live many hours every day in IN
atmosphere with hardly oxygen enough TO sustain them
m health and vgor for bali an hour and TO this is su
peradded IN the evening the evil OF candles or gas light
diminishing s, the vital properties. and increasing
the Geeterous ingredients oil the atmosphere. We
often called upon 10 prescribe Tor persons oil this descrp
ton, win ailments just such as their MODE Of life is cal
cuaied 10 engenderdyseIma in all ts Pro,ean forms,
debility pain IN the sde loss OF appetite, &c But what
we do for them Medicine nearly useless for they
constantly exposed 10 the causes which originated
their complaints; and II The old medical axiom 10 true,
Remove the cause, and you the disease" its con-
verse equally true, eli You cannot remove the
you cannot cure the dease" M .FrH
The deprivation OF pure air begins soon as we are
ushered in,ohe world and continues 10 the close OF ex
sence. The infaRt "a most carefully guarded from the
fresh air by being kept well as is mother in close,
foul. ~ ventilated apartment and, in addition It's face
generally sothered with the bed clohes for fear the air
Of The room will De too pure Nex, school boy, be
IA conhsed SIX or eight hours a day in school rooms
where there Is not even an attempt at ventilation Then
apprentice he 10 placed IN work shops, with perhaps
crowds Of others. often with unhealthy exhaation pro.
ceedng from the OF the employ menls or the ma.
eras o manufacture, increased and concentrated poss
w.
back building where neither pure the genial rays
OF the can penetrate; and 70 il is trough life.
But even those whose empoymenis keep them neces-
sary in the open air. not excepting the farmer and the
saor generally pass their nights with very imperfect
supply OF this indispensable requisite 10 health The
sailor i,haes the pure beezes oi the during the
arduous abors oil the day, but night he is thrust into
the orecasllr the closest and narrowest Of sleeping
apartments where, with score OF others, he is CON-
PEELED 10 breathe atmosphere unfit 10 sustain the low
est reptile: The farmer pusues the smooth and even
tenor OF hs way" surrounded with every circumstances
pfoong his life TO patrarchal age, and yet he will
construct hIs house with chambers (where he passes
third OF his exsieDce) OF contracted dimensions,
ow ceilings. and without effort AT ventilation. thus
counteracting all The bealthfu influences bounfuy
thrown around him by kind Providence, and planting
the seeds o disease. which may permanently undermine
his health, " they do not shorten bis life. - 9a
Ths importance OF this subject hardly be overated
and doubt II the evil effects OF all other violations OF
absurd enough equal 10 those produced by the
OF sufficient ventilation We have heard great deal
within the last few years OF The benefits 10 be derived
from the free OF cold water Internally and externally
and while would as far any in advocating lis
employment. think the vastly more important agent,
pure air, has been entirely too much overlooked. OF
what have been called the three elements OF health
exercise wster, and whe all important the last
il BY far the mos, essential rUr 6ss
The injurious effects of foul atmosphere nowh
more than 10 the sick room and the mistake
ideas OF nurse. and the roblc generally in relation
This subject nowhere more obvious IL welI-ven-
aied room "a necessary 10 the healthy, who, besides,
pehap. may he able 10 spend several hours every day in
the open how much move necessary to the feeble
invalid who enjoy that inestlmable privilege fof
many weary days and nights How important is II that
every posa,be means should he adopted TO change the
air OF The room and thoroughly as possible
And yet how much pains frequently taken 10 exclude
fresh air. az m il tainted wnh the pollution OF the
,la Wa hcvn dav ue entpr