The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-08-17
- Ss-fF6r The LANCASTER easssts.l
LAWS OP HEALTH.


care we can take of ourselves viii se4
cure us against tbe invasion ofepidetn-
ic disease, or enable us TO dispense
with the skill Of the physician. But
II is important TO understand that IL
careful observance Of all the hygienic
laws will give the greatest security Of
health, and ,of escape from sickness;
besides conlcring the ability tothrow
off disease, or to pass more safely
through its perIs when it mas actual
ly invaded Tie citadel Of life.
Atmospbcricair is maDsappropriate
element. and he cannot live a moment
ont of it, Air must be inhaled and ex-
haIed every moment OF life; first, to
take from the blood, through the lungs,
the carbon and other matter gathered
up from all parts of the body as tho
circulation is continually repeating its
circle from the heart through the ar
tcries, 10 every tisne, and back again
through the veins, TO the heart from
which it is Immediately sent to the
lungs and secondly, to impart TO the
blood required quantity Of oxygen,
which instantly changes the color Of
this fluid from dark, or grumops APP
/ pcarance, TO scarlet, or forid red The
first ia called yenous blood and the
second, after having undergone this
change in the lungs, from proximity
to atmospheric air, is called arterial
blood The dark blood, after being
brought back to the heart, as stated, is
oceasiohed by its gathering up, az
it passes through the system, the
carbon and all other particles
Of matter that are no longer fit
TO be retained and which, if they
were retained. would generate disease
and death. The bright red Of the ar
tcrial blood is the result Of parting
with its excremcntitious matter, and
taking in oxygen. This red blood
must be sent TO the brain with every
pulsation Of the heart, as it, appropri-
ate stimulus, by which the nervous
system is enabled to distribute life and
action to all the organs Of the body
and thus is the phenomea of life car
ricd on. Oxygen is the vital princi-
pie Of air; and it it isnot present IN due
quantity; or if the deIelerions princi-
pies which, from badly ventilated
apartments and localities, are present
in unhealthy proportions, it is easy to
sec that the proper vitahzation Of the
blood cannot take place; and also to sec
what deeterious consequences must
follow
We come now to consider the use
we are to make of atmospheric air
First, life in the open air is the sdrest
way TO secure its fullest benefits; life
in free, pure air 1t would seem, in
looking about and observing the man.
ner in which many persons live, and
tbe Indifference with which they treat
the subject. that the idea of the i'm.
portance Of breathing freely the pure
air Of heaven was mattor of no i'm
p0rtanCe whatever to them. When
we examine the small darkened pens,
called rooms, used as sleeping apart
unents in which thousands of persons
spend their nights, with two, three,
and sometimes half dozen, and even
more pair of lungs breathing all night
in single room of small dimensions,
with no ventilation at all, except what
can force itself through the crevices of
the doors and windows; and where all
the air in the room must be breathed
over, perhaps hundreds Of times, by
different lungs, it is obvious that it
can have little of the vitalizing prin-
ciple left; besides becoming loaded
with the foul cxpirations from the
lungs Of 50 many sleepers, the wonder
is that the consequences are not much
more disastrous. ....
The greatest proportion of attacks
of disease, as cholera and other epi.
denies occur between twelve and six
o'clock OF the night. The cause of this
is found in the forl condition of the
air in sleeping rooms, occasionod by
! being brcathcd over and over, until it
has become loaded with the cast off
matter from the lungs, and from the
consumption of its due proportion Of
oxygen 1t is thus seen that such air
inhaled can neither free tho blood of
its deeterious principles, nor impart
to little life principle, (oxygen) in
sufficient quantities. The blood is
therefore overloaded with the matter
that should be thrown out by expira-
| ton This deleteri Gus matter is thrown
upon the bowels, and into all the Sc
rrutions, often resulting in serious
consequences. 1t would be infinitely
safer to lie down on the house-top. or
az ywhePe else, so that it was in the
] open air, than to risk life and health
by sleeping in such rooms. Throw
your doors and windows open, and let
your rooms be constantly rcplenished
with fresh air from the outside and
let the vitiated air escape. am sure
it is best TO have fires in sleeping rooms
that are not we'll ventilated. The fire
causes a current of rarifed air to pass
up the chimneys; thus carrying out Of
the room the foul air; while the out
side air will rush down the chimney,
and through the crevices of the doors
and windows, to take its place. This
is a sanitary arrangement that | do
not think is properly understood.
Toundcrstand theimpol lance ofvcn-
tilaung sleeping rooms, so as 10 have
a constant supply OF fresh air, let any
one leave his couch at the early dawn,
:. -. IL No ka.... Z. Ia o.: