Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-13
range Of life with those who live beyond six

range Of life with those who live beyond six
or seven years.
Erroneous opinions upon the subject of the
DURATION OF human life were dealt with /; more
particularly that which takes it for granted
that In the goth Psalm mans life is confined
10 three score years and ten. An exposition of
this Psalm, sustained by high critical author
NY, was given, namely That it was written
not oy the person whose name it bears, but by
Moses while in the wilderness at time of great
suffering Not that any fat has gone forth
that mans life is restricted to seventy years,
but that at that particular time it did not ex-
tend beyond that period. The fact was nc
tced that in Europe and America there had
Deen instances of persons reaching the age Of
eighty, ninety, one hundred, and one hun
dred and ten, twenty, thirty, forty, and even
one hundred and fifty years. By the progress
made in different branches of science in late
years, especially in meteorology and chomis-
try, 1t requires only attention to the laws gov
erning the subject to add with facility five,
ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five or thirty
years to human life. The statistics of insu.
rance companies have shown that such increase
has taken place at different times under the
operation of special causes
The subject of ventilation, said DR.. B.,
arises naturally out of considerations Of the
nature Of the atmosphere. The atmosphere
Is not only the medium Of vision and sound,
but it sustains man in the breath of life. How
often do we draw on this great mag azine, the
atmospheric Twenty times a minute, or
twelve hundred times an hour! And yet SO
wonderfully are we constituted that We scarce
notice the fact. But while there are twelve
hundred movements an hour of the respira.
tory organs, there are three times that num-
Der in the millions of cells upon the surface Of
the body which are operated upon by the at.
ri 10
reciprOcated on the part of man by his con-
structing his buildings so badly ventilated
that the very candles will not burn in them
This comparative indifference to the condi-
ton OF the air We breathe affects very largely
the duration Of human life In the history
for the last thousand years. of that metropolis
of the world in point of size-London-it is
only within the last five years that the right
kind of knowledge has been attained as to the
nature of drainage. Look into the London
papers, and you will see that millions are
about to be expended to divert the drainage
OF that city from the river Thames, such a de-
leterious effect has it had upon that river. In
Paris the atmosphere was tainted, and in Ber-
lin, the streets of which are level, the air is
most noxious The subject of sanitary i'm
provenent has, indeed, engaged attention
from the earliest ages, yet little progress had
been made until late chemical discoveries as
to the nature of gases had placed the question
upon q different basis
The lecturer here entered upon a series of
brilliantly executed experiments, by means of
smoke and vapors, showing different move.
ments of the air, undulatory, rotary, &c. He
also placed various lights consisting of oil,
wax, spirits of wine, tallow and gas under a
glass receiver to illustrate the peculiarities Of
different constitutions in the consumption of
air. Thus while the other lights fickered and
expired for want of air the gas-light was seen
fighting for life to the last. So some individ-
uals have possessed the capability of resisting
vitiated air to the extent of existing for some
time without visible inconvenience in a sort Of
coffin enclosing the head, while others cannot
exist in fifteen cubic feet Of air after two or
three Inspirations. A diagram was given Of
experimental rooms constructed at Edinburgh
for the purpose of conducting researches on
respiration and ventilation, and where very
satisfactory results had been attained; also a
diagram showing the mode of ventil ating the
new Houses of Parliament
To enable any person to study the peculiari-
ties Of air movements in his own habitatioD,
the lecturer recommended as the best process
to take piece of burning brown paper dipped
first in a solution Of nitrate Of lead) and walk
to every door and passage, observing by the
direction of the smoke where the current Of
air inclined in or out.
DR.. Reid gives his second lecture to night,
and 1t is sure, from the interest excited by his
initiatOry lecture, to be largely attended.
The thanks of the community are due to Prof.
Henry for securing a course Of lectures upon
a subject Of such practical Importance, and
from a lecturer so eminently qualified to do it
justice.
The FAIR The following is a continuation
of the list of persons who have applied for
space at the approaching Fair of the Metro
politan Mechanics Institute
Miss Ward, Georgetown, quilt
Miss Cromwell, do, worsted work
Miss COlclazer, " ashington, doll bonnets
Miss M III. Bartlett, do, infants dress
Miss J. N. NARROW, do, yarn gloves and
ahirts
Miss MARROW, do, pickles
Isaac Miller, Maryland, Hewe's patent
spring beds
Lutz It Beall, Washington, saddlery
A Stewart, do, marble nantel
Miss B. McCauley, do, embroidered cap
Miss Ill. McCauley, do, transferred collar
Jane c. Beach, do, fancy collar
Amelia A MedfOrd, do, fancy dresses
Mrs. j. Goldborough do, quilt
Mrs Thomas d Allen, do, netting
Mrs. J. c. Summers, do, quilt
John Bryant, jr., do, crystalized alum
Miss Z. C Bryant, do, worsted work
Mrs Wheeler, do, preserves and catsup
Miss K. Wheeler, do, wOrsted work
Miss S Wheeler, do, A"
Miss A. Wheeler, do, d"
Mary Wheeler, do, "
Mrs. M r. Harris, do, case Of bonnsts
Miss NJ. Garrison, do, embroidered dress
Thomas G.. Clinton, do, alcohol cook bed
stead, DC.
Mrs Seymour, New York, fancy work
Cruit Washington, case of horse shoes
Mrs. Il A. Iardella, do, embroidered apron
Mrs. RUSSELL, do, embroidered handkerchief
ID Callahan do, penmansbip
Miss West, DO, worsted work
Miss N. Bird, do, embroidery
Claudius Wills, dc, faHoy article
Mrs j p Van Ness, do, paintings
Isaac Miller, Baltimore, Howe's patent
spring bed
Lutz Beall, Washington, saddlery
A. Stewart, do, mari BILE mantel
Miss McCauley, do, embroidery
Miss II. McCauley, do, needlework
j. Williams, do, shells
Mrs Iardella. do, she'll flowers
h. Z. White & Co., do, barrels of -four
Mrs w. A. Fenwick, do, embroidery in
worsted
Mrs Noble, do, quilt
Alicia NnhIa do