The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-11-25
Veutiiaiion..ltsN Necessity..How Best Ef-
fected,

The approach of cold weather, when so
much of the time is spent within doors, re.
minds us that the disregard of veniilia-
tion causes more colds, consumptions and
disease generally, than anybody but phys
ician would suppose.
The process of breathing, it is we'll
known, viliates the atmosphere of confined
apartments. A tight room, eight feet high,
and twelve by fourteen feet square, will
have its air poisoned in two hours by three
persons sitting in it. In single hour, a
company of twelve persons, in a parlor six
teen feet by twenty, and nine feet high
will render the atmosphere unhealthy, if
the doors are closed. Yet, in the face of
these scientific facts, there are thousands
of households in Philadelphia where, every
winter, it is the practice OF the family to sit
in heated apartments without any provision
for ventilation.
Nature, even when doors and windows
are all closed, makes an effort to ventilate
rooms, by forcing fresh air through the
cracks. But it will not do to trust 10 these
especially in sleeping chambers, where ven
tilation is peculiarly necessary. The OPEN
ing of window, both at top and at bottom,
is one OF the best methods of ventilation
but in order TO avoid draughts, ii is pecessa-
ry 10 discriminate between times when the
temperature out of doors is colder than
within, and when it is the reverse for the
III the first case, the cold air enters at the
bottom of a window and passes out at the
top, while In the other it enters at the top
and passes out at the bottom. Ventilating
room, by leaving door ajar, is governed
by the same rules. Sudden colds which
cannot be accounted for, often occur by
sleeping in draughts, which might have
been avoided by a little practical knowl-
| edge.
1t is indispensable, however, that the hu.
man system should be accustomed to cur
rents OF air. To remain habilually in warm,
close rooms, carefully protected from
draughts, is almost certain to cause cold
on going out into the air. If the person is
heated, the liability to take cold is very
great on entering current. But where the
whole body is exposed, there is less danger
than where only portion is. A late writer
has estimated that any current of air moving
with velocity of more than two feet per
second, is perilous. This, therefore, may
be considered a rule by which to de guided
in ventiating apartments. Where it is i'm.
possible 10 introduce fresh air, without
violent current, a screen or other apparatus
should be used, by which 10 distribute the
air more equally and avoid unhealthy
draughts. Bedrooms which have no fire
place, should invariably have an opening
into the fue; for many persons fear CATCH
ing cold if they leave their windows down,
and such, if there is neither fire. place nor
opening into the fue, kill themselves by
slow poison.
No system of ventlating a room has ever
been devised equal 10 the old fashioned
open fire place. But the expense of this
method will prevent its returning into gen.
eral use. AS open fre-places are the best
ventiators, so stoves are the worst and
unfortunately, of all processes of heating,
the stove is the cheapest. Hot-air furnaces
combine, practically, economy and health,
better than any other method but few fur.
naces are constructed rightly, and fewer still
are managed properly. The hot-air should
be introduced pure, moist, and equally /;
and an opening or openings should be pro-
vided for it to escape; and yet not one hot
air furnace in ten is worked in this way
Where expense is no consideration, a COM
bination of an air-heating apparatus with
open fire. places, gives the nearest approach
which is possible, 10 perfect ventilation
There are hundreds of families in Phlad.
elphia able to afford this combination, who
nevertheless disregard it, and many of them
in consequence, pay the doctor more than
they would have 10 pay the coal dealer, if
! they adopt it.-Ledgcr.