New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-11
VENTLATION-DLSE AND DEATH IN
SLEEPING ROOMS

Few things have given pleasure of late than an
article in late number of The Tribune on ventilation
would that might be read and pondered by every family
in the United States
1t has been from deep conviction of the necessity of
awakening the public mind to this great subject that have
dwe on II at such length both in my work. Lectures
son Life and Health and in the various popular lectures
on Hygian which am accustomed to give in different parts
Of the Union.
We hear occasionally in the papers that somebody dios
suddenly in bedroom cabin, from burning charcoal
whore there is chimney other means Of circulation
and consequent ventilation But ii is often distant and we
forget Yet the number of deaths in the way alluded TO-
in the whole United States for single year /, very
considerable. ~
have sometimes thought il was better for the world If
the number were greater This thought Is not the result
OF yindicyeness If instead of losing a few dozens or
perhaps hundred in the whole country every year and
partly losing some hundreds of thousands more with mo
prospect Of improvement, but with the evil contnuaIv
Ave thousand single year seems to me we should bs
roused to the necessity of doing something for the removal
of the evil Asst is we go on, from year year. in near
effort at q better state of things.
We have not been reused sufficiently from our seep of
death to know wherein the danger consists The accounts
In the papers to which refer, frequently headed
Death from Charcoal" They should be headed Death
from Carbonic Acid Gas" The burning charcoal ill.,
most or all other burning substances does indeed evolve or
give off eabonc acid gas but the gas formed by
one breathing and pretty rapidly Many aths take
place the consequence of this breathing over the air too
much, without the aid Of charcoal
For one, however that 10 who'll destroyed By csrbonc
acid gas some hundreds thousands-ehaps soma tens
Of thousandsare injured IN sghter degree that doea
not amount TO tho absolute extinction Of life Carbonc
aeidor choke dampis heavier than the surrouning air
and falls to tie floor the ground OF If wells caves
vaults cellars at hand gets into them and els Thorn
up, as water does bottle Ii room of ten or tweya
feet squareand have many sleeping room not 40
large as tLatwere air tight all around and at the oor
the breath Of two persons would fill up to the bgb
OF the top Of bed IL happens. however for the most
part that our not quite air tight Some inter
change takes place at the door or window or at te chin
ney, and thus life is prolonged
However II not unfrequenty happens that the earbone
acid gas rises TO such hight that some Of Is
and that not for night merely bt for almost every
night in the year Short of this even where two persons
occupy the same bed it frequently happens that they
breathe portions Of air the second time which should
never happen, since it is always productive of evil
mere are few If any among who have not weakened
their constitution Of body shortened their lives in mi,
way Some have shortened their days for few bours
only, it may be; others for few weeks or month";
others again, for years And if the sum of these o,t
days weeks months and years gathered together
INTO grand total and this divided By ty the aSeraye
lie OF man, think the quOtont would be most fsarSl
large an nof sure but the mighty aggregate OF frsg