Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-03-12
Concerning the Necessity of
more thorough Ventilation.

Ed. JoURSAL.-The negligence OF the ccm-
fort and health Of children which is evinced
by the carplessness of teachers and parents,
and the ov rseers of schools, in regard to the
ventilation of school rooms, is as dangerous
as it is objectionable.
The air we brrathe lie SO common a blessing
that its value is not estimated, and the impor-
lance of preserving its purity in schools, as
well as in private HOUSES by constructing the
rooms of sufficient size.and providing ample
means of ventilation. cannot be appreciated
without considering the influence which it
has upon life. health ard mental yigor While
shall not attempt to offer an entire plan for
a srhool room or private dwelling, hope. at
least. to promote the general object by Collect
ing the principal facts in relation to the SUBJ
Jet of air. which ought To be considered in
their construction and arrangements.
In this climate, tie heart of healthy per-
son of mature age, beats about six,y-six times
a minute, or four Thousand times an hour ;
that of child. much faster. The whole mass
ofthe blood is supposed To pass through it
fourteen times ala hour. or once in forr mIn-
utes. After it returns through the veins to
the heart and before it is again sent out into
the body. it is made to pass through the lungs
where it comes in contact with the air We
breathe, and undergoes several important
changes.
Its temperature is raised several degrees
Its color is changed from dark red to light
crimson-a change which the venous blood
will undergo when drawn from the body and
placed in the air and it is found to contain
an increased propoi ton of oxygen, or vital
air. The whole mass Of bloo1, thus changed
every four minutes. conveys heat and nOur-
ishment and life TO the extrrmitie of the
body and if The process be int rruptsd or i'm
perfectly perforised. for four minutes only.
every organ and member OF the body is, of
course. more or less affected.
These changes cannot be produced without
the presence of oxygen, or vital air and are
produced in h althy manner. only by such
q mixture as we find in pure atmosphere,
consisting of about 33I3 per cent CT oxygen
and 6625 per cent nitrogen. If an air less
pure. or containing other gases, be bseathed.
these changes are not thoroughly produced !;
the lungs perform their task with difficulty {:
and the body does not recei We its due supply
of nourishment and vital energy. 1t is even
injured by the half corrupted state of the
blood and that WEAKNESS and langour are
produced, which is always the consequence
of spending some time in bad air. Thus the
person who attends a crowded assembly
where the vent IllatIon is bad, will find lassi-
tutie. and often chills. extending through ev
cry limb, and languor invading every faculty
of the mind feverish, unpleasant taste in
the mouth a restless,.ess through the follow
ing nighi, and often a degree of exhaustion
in the morning. like that which succeeds a
night spent in travelling.
In order, therefore, to preserve The body in
health. even a ter it has gained maturity. and
especially to supply it when it is growing and
invigorate the constitution when it is FORM
ing. it is of the highest Importance that the
air should be preserved i'm that state OF purity
which the Creator designed. 1t is tue that
disease and death do not Immediately follow
every deviation from this standard. but it is
| also certain that some degree of injury must be
/ produced; and such reason for neglect is as
! insufficient as it woull be to give our friends
or our children food which was partially
1 spoiled or drink hich was partially filthy.
! because it would not Immediately destroy
their lives or health. How preposterous and
! criminal would every one regard it, 10 give
/ them their TODD constantly mingled with poi
son. or their drink with pernicious and loath-
some insects Yet it is not less inexcusable
10 furnish them with haLf-corrspted air. or that
which contains poisonous gases The food
is given but three times day. but the air is
administered every moment. The child is at
liberty to receive or reject the food, but he is
forced TO breathe the air in which we place
/ him. To put our children or friends in a
room which does not contain that supply OF
vital air which is necessary for their health.
! in not only to offer them poison. but to
much evil has been ignorantly done in this
maLner-how much health and enjoyment
has been destroyed-how many constitutions
have been enieebled-how many lives have
been sacrificed The many new.made gra-
yes in the cemetery-the multitude of pale
faces-the sick and afflicted around us, to the
thoughtful and intelligent, will answer the
question.
A man. in this country of enterprise and
activity. is supposed to breathe on the aver
age. twenty five times in a minute. and to
take in about sixty cubic inches of air at an
inspiration, or l 500 cubic inches per minute.
OF this. one third only is vital air. or oxygen,
and on this we have to depend to produce the
changes in The blood which are necessary to
h,alfh. In all stove-rooms an amount equal
to four times that of the oxygen consumed, is
produced of car6osic acid. and this poisonous
gas is breathed in place Of vital air. Such
rooms, therefore, afford but about one-fou nth
the proper quantity of oxygen, being corrupt
ed by so large an amount of poisonous gas.
In this view Of the subject, we can hardly
doubt that four times the supply have sta
te :, without better ventilation than re have
at present, would eventually leave us to faint
and die. Facts confirm this statement.
| OBSERVER.