New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-22
FOUL AIR AND VENTILATION.

To he Editor Of T1eN. Y Ti5uae.
SIR Every publication intended to arrest the attention
of the people TO the subject Of the ventilation Of their
houses ha with satisfaction as believe to stand IN
the front rank Of importance in all matters relating 20 the
preseIy alton Of health OF aHe causes Of disease single
potential and unirersal as impure ar and there
fore cannot receive too much attention Hence was
pleased to see two recent communications on ths topic
iom VIM A. Acot The last Ia your paper OF the 2Oth
inst both dispensing in general correct views on the sub
ject. 49,
if allowed to stand uncorrccted will false guides
TO ihose not familiar it'll the point aud viii certainly lead
in wrong direction for relief from the evils of foul air
The error aude to is in reference to what he very prop
CRY calls in his last article the most deadly foe we have
to contend with in our rooms-carbonic acid Gas;' OF
which be saws iurther that being heavier than common
0runless there is much agitation or very strong up
ward curren-it remains commngled with the aimos
there or undcrogs al tie bottom ~ the room MI grddn
av droWa ioWayde fire. lqcc and FORCED up he chimney
The principal error contained i'll the words have ita
icised.
pass over the evident inconsistency OF the two ideas
expressed is the above paragraph that the heavier gases
either commnge with underiay the atmospheric air,
VERY loose thinking and wrtng end at once to the
latter idea from which wrong practical inference Is
drawn.
pr Aco appears to believe that carbonic acid gas is
not in our apartments diusod equally through the gene
raj atmosphere but settles toward the floor aud that
NOT hest therefore TO ventate from the top Of The room
Now if this were true the fireplace, or even common
stove would suffice to carry of all OF this deadhestoe
and no other ventilation would be needed But "a un
true as every student Of chemistry knows These gases
ore controlled by forces, wholly independent OF Their spe
cifc GRANTEES and by which they are made 10 TORN eaa
mixtures the principle as liquids of different spe
cifc rrayites-such as alcohol and water-or even as
solids and liquids such sugar and water dissolve each
other and form homogeneous solutions
In further illustration Of this law knowledge of which
ia essential TO the proper understanding OF the most EN-
Gent mode Of yen aion permit me to make an extract
from NV own work ON the Uses and Abuses OF AR;
The physical law which effects this equal mixture, or
rs il is called mutual diffusion OF gases, mas iatey Oeeh
py pye ated and no less simple and beautiful than
imporant. Mr. Dalton ascertaned that each gas NlS
fhp for another and that al gases capable OF ali
scrbng one another thus making equal mixture. For
EXAMPLE he put carbonc acid into cylinder below an
Other cylinder containing hydrogen gas twenty times
lrbter and found after time, they had formed
perfectly homogeneous mixture in both vessels the car
bonc acid rising in opposition TO the laws OF gravity anu
the by drogon descending. :. -.
From this il will be that the poisonous air from
our lungs and other in occupied ROOM e6sHo
fan TO The floor but must be dhused through the room
and further still that this gaseous mixture as III rareneu
Nv the heat of the body will rse and occupy the uPernO
ars of the room Does not every one te thai the sir
IN the gallery of church is offensive and oppressive
than that below So far. therefore, from the AIR In the
Iowermost part Of being the oues as IS asserted
Inv DIR Acott will be found in all ordinary cases 10 DC
the rurost hence il follows that ventaiing aperture
at or near the ceiling of room essential IN al ordinary
tenemeps as il is impossible without strong motive
rower TO bring down the foul gases from above to be
Drawn off by an opening near the hoor.
mcht illustrate this point much further did space ana
time allow but viii only refer those interested IN me SUP
;ct 10 the work already quoted from, pages l9':VtI
there have endeavored TO give clear view OIL tns
whole matter ineligible hope to those eas
with II Very respectfully, JOHN d. 1Ms9""'
Nrr. Yerk Marsh 81, 1884.