The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-12-22
WHOLE .IO. lob.
Vcntilation--its Necessity and No.
glact


The last generation paid no attention 10 this
matter, al least in this country. They had no
need. Dwellings wete sufficiently ventilated
without resort 10 special appliances for that pur-
pose. The fires generally used were Of wood, or
" coal was employed, Il was burned In 40 open
graic. The houses were not Theoretically sealed
! boxes, with double windows, thick walls. and
closely fitting doors aud window sashes. The
old'iashioned Fireplace, or even the Franklin
CRATE gave large egress TO the viiiaied air. while
the numerous cracks around the doors and win
dows furnished sufficient pure air from the ex-
iernal atmosphere Goal gradually usnrIed the
place 81 wood for fuel, aud compelled the intro.
duet on of s,ovcs, furnace. and ranges which
gave oui their heat, no, only by imperfect radia-
ton, but hy the contact ~ bot iron plates with
thc ali. lhis had ihe effect, ia a Close room
10 destroy thu natural humidity Of the aimos-
phctc, ani iur want ~ ventilation prejudice
against stoves aud coal was engendcred, as pro-
duciive Of disease. Perfect ventilation will ~.
move these causes Oi complaint. The heat gem
GRATED 10y The combustion u coal, whether an
thinciie " btuminous, when burned In q close
stove. Is not necessarily delcierious
oxygen from its quality Of supporting COM
busion Hud sustaining liie-iiselfa form Of slow
eoinhu'lon--was formerly called the vital
hnld. The effect Of hIc In a room i 10 use IN
aud absorb the oxygen of the air, rendering Il
, uhht Tor breathing. To sustain life, therefore
~ Wei % combustion, fresh aud continued
supply OF oxygen Is needed Vet this gas alou.
uumiNtd with hydrogen aud nitrogen, Is not RI
Tor either putpose--lsiv or combustion In eth
81 ease o. desiroYs--acts too rapidlv--in one in
stance producing fever, and in the other destroy.
ing The iurI iou rapidly. Ventilation, therefore
is n' necessary tpf the hrr ~ for the lungs The
Ire 81 slove Is not the ouly source OF the de,e-
ituT"1'"n 81 ili. all IN our rooms. Gas lights
laini" ani caudlc. ausogb large amount Of oxv-
scu anu u the products Of combustion are not
NHs0Nr Ita 80
Halter ourselves that no deterioration Of the az.
iaU-Fhc'" OF ii4c room caused There i no
combustion NithOui thc generation OF carbonic
acid. gas o. fatal 90 animal organism as any
iiue ~ tn apoilecnry collection. l.ecause
"c 'io not see this ia the form 81 a smok, or n
noNious ,al'og, No provide uo mean. Tor rs 60
cape. aud NO mcana for introducing pure air For
oar ordinary Tires W. are compelled To do this
hs tie results ~ their combustion would soon
tcnd'r our rooms uuighahiiabip.
" O. taitulhit d that each person CuusaInts. On
an average, 1--we cubic feet at ais in an hour or.
rather extracts from 1t tina, portion capable OF
SUPPORTING respiration ia, one hundred per-
sons a. a room. q. hall. containing - 300 Gu
Die iutoi ainss rh,ilc air roum thirty Rect long
t",ut-h'c "idc. aud thiiiy high and IN four
and hall hour the air would he unit; 10 breathe
10" increase ui 'uOouic acid gas would soon
prove delvler.oUs u ie a BEAUTIFUL provision OF
nature that ihis ga,. ordinarily much heavier
wan aihufi o. rae air. g.. when tTst exhalel from
The lungs lighter than the surrounding air. and
iIs's. 'ic. however IL cools. and desccnds
3" "ui ~ are compelled TO iuhalc /;
ss.t son low studded rooms are
not hsattl.
,... 'tAn.A 's necessary, it must
~. '' n"se'4 what ...- asserted and
- '' MAT t4t Ger veniila-
10 cold wCai ..,- r,isa ~ -, "e~""E
iroduecd. these r-u-. r, heated ~ v,o.
lace the requisite e. ...- which ncccss.,r,..
.n additional consump fuel The obiec,
sought Is, however ST.! NO. "a the increased en-
peu5c cutailCd
tits unfortunate thai our houses. especiallv
our dwellings, have not been constructed. hereto
lore except ia iatt stances with ventilation ns
one Of The objects. We mus then, adopt tempo
faFy measures 10 insure q fresh supply For this
purpose the opening Of n window al the top and
the admission OF pure air by a door. or the low
crpoilion OF a window on the opposite side Of the
room, - the most feasible means Tot ventilation.
Currents OF air must be avoided, and this can be-
done, ia measure, by stretching across the
aperture screen Of thin muslin, or, better, per-
fotn'ei thin plates Of tin or other metal To be
sure, this IS an imperfect and not altogether sat
isia, tory method Of reaching the object sought
but It's better than no ventilation.
This D. u satjeci too important and compris-
'ng too many conditions, 10 be Justly considered
IN 80 brief an article a. this. Our object is how
ever, to ,ai attention TO the necessity Of proper
ventilation 10 The hope thu il may awaken ia.
Igirs. aud stimulate To some txcriiou In the rirhi
hitr,' zion - Srt.n'ir- imtr