Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-30
Open the Shutters.

A writer In the Philadelphia North America
has communication under the above caption
/" Hoo 10 propagate scarlet teper and TO perysl
uate consunptton In family" The writer, wh
laigns himself "A Physlciau," states that ther
is no more certain method of effecting these n
sulta than the practice now adopted by many o
our citizens, OF keeping the house cIoaed 70
weeks or months after a death has occurre
In it. Tho author Of this paper, who 10 also
physician, would earnestly call the attention O
your readers to the melancholy results Of thI
practice, which, though Of comparative moderl
origin, seems to have taken deep hold anon
as, and which, in language Of the writer befor,,
quoted, sis fast giving to Philadelphia, one O
the most healthful cities In the world, the ap.
pesrance of town smitten by pestlence. "
No house can be 10 healthful condition which
IL not daily open to the light and air. have
no doubt many of your readers can give per
soual testimony 10 the depressing effect on thei.
nervous system, from which the inmates oil
such houses suffer. - ls9 w 3.
IF the practice be Objectionable in our larger
houses, il becomes grievous calamity in the
bouses of tho poor. But o few days since
was callsd to see poor woman in the last stage
of mortal disease. She lived In little house
with one room on floor Five months before
she had lost daughter by consumption. From
that time until my visit she had, lived in her
little room with the shutters closed, completely
excluding the light and pure air. So effeo,ual
was this exclusion, that although my visit N q
made at an early, afternoon hour, / was com
PEELED 10 resort to artificial light to properly in
vestigste her case. Another instance was that
Of poor washerwoman, left widow, With a
young family dependent for support on her aud
her older daughters For ten months did these
poor girls s.rsin their eye-sIght, while sewing
In the little darkened room which they were
compelled to occupy, andlwhen demonstrated
with by kind friend, who endeavored to show
the mother the absurdity Of thus living In the
dark, tho reply was, Sure, and wouldn't you
have us do like quality2" Many similar in
stances might be given. Ishall mention but one,
About year since the writer was asked 10 visit,
in consultation with a medical friend, O poor
man in the last stage of pulmonary consump-
tion. The visit was made at eleven o'clock OF
bright, clear morning, aud yet on entering his
chamber We were positively obliged to grope
through the dark to iud his bed. He had lost
his wife three months before, and in spite Of
the remonstrsuces of hs attending physician,
has persisted In living in this darkened cham
ber, that he too, doubtlesp, might be "like the
quality"
These instances are not exaggerated; any one
need but walk through come of our smaller
streets to convince himself Of their truth. Ia
view of these facts, would earnestly appeal to
my fellow. citizens 10 lend their influence IN die.
countsnancing this unnecessary practice. ap-
peal to clergymen, to physcians to all classes,
give their aid in discoufaging afashion 90 deIri-
mental to health, and in every way reprehensible
Some Of our Oldest families have steadily refused
to adopt this advertisement Of their grief which
was unknown TO their fathers, and It needs but
the Cooperation of few more Of our influential
citizens to set an axample, which will be gladly
followed by others. Thus will their homes and
those OF their neighbors be rendered more health
ful, our city present q more cheerful appear
ance, while the chamber of poverty and sickness
will be lightened of one of its most depressing
concomtants
A PHYSICIAN.