The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-12-05
JACKSON STANDARD.


thereto It is heavily laden with carbon
in the form of carbonic acid gas, and a
large amount Of moisture, either OF
which alone would render it unwhOle-
some, but, together, render the exhaled
aifa certain provocative Of disease, or
rapid and fatal poison, according TO
to the amount re-inhaled,
Under ordinary circumstances these
two products of respiration are invisi-
bic, but their existence can be proved
at any time by the following simple
experiments. TO show the moisture
in, the inhaled air, we havebut to breathe
gently on a cold glass or iron aud in
stantly il is condensed in the form of
dew, which in a short time will collect
in large drops and run down in little
streams. Everybresthing animal shows
tin dry frosty weather by the colored
vapor which issues from the mouth or
nostrils at every breath. In cold weather
the windows Of every crowded church
or sehool-room give ample token of its
existence within by by its condensation
upon them giving them the appearance
Of ground glass, and let it not be for
gotten that it is not only the layer of
atmosphere next the window which is
thus imbuod with the moisture, but
that it is equally prevalent throughout
the whole apartment, that every head
within is immersed in it, and every
pair Of lungs is reminding it. The
quanty of ,cdter thus inhaled with the
breath amounts to an average of pint
and quarter every twenty hours for
each person. Every mans body is
distillery, and every pair of lungs an
slembic from which the surplus of water
of the blood is distilled into the atmos-
pherc, and when concentrated, as in
crowded and unventilated rooms, is
scarcely less baneful than the products
Of certain artificial stills which men
ttput into their mouths to steal away
their brains"
The formation of Carbonic acid gas is
also easy Of demonstration. Take a
white glass vial, about three quarters
full Of common lime water, perfectly
clear, and with small tube "a pipe-stem
or a straw pass the breath slowly
through the lime water for few min
utes. The fluid will gradually become
opaque and of milky whiteness. If
the vial 10 then set at rest, the liquid will
soon become perfectly clear again by the
subsistence of a white powder to the
bottom, showing it was the powder
which gave the milky hue to the liquid.
This powder, by chemical examination
may be proved to be carbonate OF lime,
which was formed by the union of the
pure lime of thew water with the Carbonic
acid Of the breath.
Besides these to inhalations from the
lungs, the latter being especially poison
ous, q considerable amount OF both is
also thrown off from the skin, adding
to the delOteriousness Of the surround
ing atmosphere, and this result is also
aggrayatedby the exudation of a portion
Of animal matter which is found floating
in the air, the decomposition OF which
is the principal cause of the peculiarly
ofensive odOr given by confined and
Oft-breathed air, and lends additional
strength to its poisonous character
This peculiar sicksning odor is percepti-
bic to any one entering from the open
air into a crowded room, or close
chamber which has been occupied few
hours by one or mere persons. And it
is especially remarkable that the ocou-
pants of such room or chamber, whose
inhulations are the cause Of this un-
pleasant odor, are themselves uncon-
seious Of its offeDsiveness and impurity
This is due to the fact that IL has gradually
invaded their olfactOriss, stealing impsr-
eeptibly over their sense of smell, and
It's sentences, Let any one, after a
nights occupation Of a chamber with
the windows and doors closed, leave it
and breathe the external air for few
minutes, and then return to the chamber
before II has been ventilated he will at
once perceive what is here alluded to,
and may feel astonished at his having
escaped suffocatlon from his own and
his companion's foul gasses No one,
however, can remain immersed in such
an atmosphere, even ofhisOwn creating,
without more orless injury to his bodily
functions, especially feeling of dspres-
sion OF his nervous and muscular powers.
He wakes unrefreshed, and unified for
the snjoyments and occupations of the
day. These who never sleep in well.
ventilated dormitories cannot appreciat
che great advantages which ventilated
chambers afford TO beth the sleeping and
waking hours
Many hearsF is put to sleep by the
foul atmosphere Of an unventilated
church many one has SwOoned from
the same cause, and many sleeper in
: close unventilated bedroom has gone
into ''ths sleep that knows no waking"
from sudden congestion Of tho brain
produced by the foul air OF the room.
There is, howsver, more than su-
perfsial Interpretation to be given to
the sacred injunction, ''Be thou clean"