Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-23
EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. We gave a
synopsis Of the first Of DR.. Reid's able series
OF lectures upon Ventilation and kindred sub
jscts, since which time the pressure upon our
columns has prevented Us from doing more
than sl,ude to them.
In his second, third, fourth and fifth lecture
DIR Reid enlarged upon the nature and power
Of ventilation; upon the exclusion Of vitiated
air +; the cooling, moistenirg and drying Of
air the correction Of external sources Of vi
tistsd air the ventilation Of individual rooms
and habitstions; condition of the hsbitstions
Of the people Of different European cities;
lodging houses for the poor and their influence
on the moral and social condition Of the peo-
pie ventilation Of public buildings; plenum,
vacuum and mixed ventilation; ascending
and descending ventilation simple and COM
pound movements required In special struc-
lures. As to the enquiry what Is the quantity
Of air requisite for each individual, the lee
turer said that the amount required for direct
action upon the lungs was comparatively small,
say twenty or thirty cubic inches for each res
niration but il must be remembered that the
air expired is all the tire corrupting the ex
ternaI supply, and if We do not start with
high degree Of purity the effect is most dstri-
mental.
1t Is not suti cient to estimate the air-hold-
ing capacity Of 8 room, but rather how much
fresh air can be brought into it. The proper
ton requisite to each individual will vary
greatly according TO the constitution OF the
person or the moisture or dryness of the at
mOsphere. As to the number Of persons who
can be accommodated in a given space, the
lecturer had in some instances of public in
terest seen one man to every square foot of
standing space. The greatest crowd he had
ever seen was when WellingtOn's body lay in
state at Chelsea hospital. Though it was a
cool morning, the rush was so great Of people
entering in two currents that numbers were
crushed to death, and many who came out ap-
peared as if they had been washed and wrung
in water. As good and convenient mode Of
testing the quality Of the air, little line
water in bottle or in the bend Of glass tube,
would, on being brought in communication
with the air In q room, show the proportion IF
csrbonic acid contained therein. In Edin-
burgh, students supplied with bottles Of lime
water, had been sent to make experiments at
various churches, and the results, as shown
by the more or less clouded condition Of the
lime water, Tailed with the admitted cohd-
ton Of the air in the rooms where the expert
ments were made.
The lime water test was urged as of par
ticular value in school rooms where the teach
ers, from colds or other causes, were unable
TO appreciate the condition Of the air. In
making this test, it is not fair to take the air
from every part Of the room, but from TIE
level Of respiration
In England a temperature Of from % to 65
was deemed the most acceptable. Double
shaft chimneys were recommended as ena-
bling one to regulate perfectly the ventilation
Of each room connected with il, throughout
the year. The size of ordinary chimneys was
objected 10 as unnecessarily large. The stoves
Of northern Europe were described approx
ingly, especially in regard to the tempered
heat difused through an apartment by their
extent OF surfaces.
The lecturer showed by illustrations how ii
49, 49,, . l. 3 4
wards, when il was not convenient 20 carry il
70 height to overtop hill or other object.
The philosophy Of this operation was that the
heat IN the lower part Of the hue causes the
air 10 ascend 20 the bend in the iue, by which
time becoming cooled, il naturally descends
the other shaft. The bad air thus drawn
away could be thrown Of in any out-of-the-way
spot where u would not prove deleterious.
For the use Of an invalid sensitive to the
action Of the air, diagram Of room was ex-
hibited, in whish the entire ceiling was made
porous, and the discharge from the chimney
was regulated by lamp burning in it; also,
Of a room, whore, by external and internal
windows, an acclimated air was obtained,
sOftened after its introduction into the house
In winter, when heat is deemed the first reari.
site, il was shown how this could be saved,
and the house ventilated by a current of air
passing in and out of the external ceilings
The immense importance ofhaving discharge
upwards was dwet upon. In many houses in
London the confined bad air had ocessioned
the dry rot in the woodwork of the upper
rooms, while the timber Of the lower rooms,
where the air was comparatively pure, was
sound
The lecturer spoke Of the terrible condition
OF the atmosphere in the houses Of the extreme
poor where numbers are crowded beyond all
proportion. In houses in Paris they had been
found az thick as they could stand A loom
founi in h0usa in Carliala Ia
neither door or window, full Of beds occupied
by thirty or forty persons, a space Of two feet
SIX inches, by the length Of the person, being
allowed for each bed. The great moral move
ment latterly entered upon for the improve
ment Of tenement houses for the poor was
noticed. Large edihces, constructed for this
end by bringing many families under one roof
enabled each to enjoy cooking, heating, ven-
tilsting, bathing, and other facilities, all
at rent not higher than they had paid for
their previous wretehed accommodations.
In many cases the ventilation Of houses i,
better IN the Easements than in the upper
rooms, the foul air OF the basement rising and
becoming the supply for the rooms above.
The lecturer thought the best heating appa
rstus would be combination Of the Stoc kholm
stove with the many ingenious improvements
made IN this country. An open FIRE was rec
oumended il the livir room, or kitchen, and
above this a series Of presses in the wall in
INC helSnoOInOOd Oh Tie nues, where articles
Of fOed could be placed to be warmed
In ventilating buildings, the nearer you
approach the ordinary condition Of the air
upon the body in the open air, the better
Thus gently difused supply Of air from va
rlous quarters vas better ID an that by sin gle
strong drsugh..
In crowded court-rooms and other public
buildings ventilation by means Of windows
Will lot do at al, since these next the yindog
VIII have more air than they desire, while
those removed from /. will breathe the viii
Sted air passing over other people. In public
buildings the Windows stculd supply light, but
never air; nor should the windows be de-
signed to sfJrd outside views. "a those who
frequent such buildings are occupied exclu-
slyely with what is passing inside
Different kinds Of shafts for ventiIatipg
public buildings were noticed. or var;ons
eonirlvances used, such as pumps, bellows,
ne preference was given by DR. Reid to
the paddle wheel ani be proaaa5oI A.. ~