Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-11-17
N SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER
For the Spectator.
Damp Churches and School-houses.

MEssRs EDITORS Il am persuaded that
few OF our people realize the great mischiefs
that result from want Of proper attention to
the warming and ventilatng of our Churches
and school houses This is especially the case
in the Spring and Fall seasons, when the
weather is neither very warm nor cold. At
such times many persons regard fires as unnec-
essary, when, in fact they are seasons when
they are most important-for it is In those
seasons that the greatest amount Of dampness
exists, and the greatest damage of taking cold
occurs. It is in comparatively warm weather
that the greatest amount of moist vapour rises
from the earth and is condensed on the chilly
walls OF our Churches and School houses
Persons riding or walking to Church become
heated by the exercise, and while their pores
are open and their susceptibility to cold greatly
increased, they take their seats in Churches
which have been closed for the greater part of
the week, and soon find themselves chilled
This is the fruitful parent of coughs aud colds,
ending IN consumption, pneumonia, rheuma-
tism and other kinds of disease
Most of our Churches are built with the
floors but a few feet above the ground, and
with imperfect ventilation under the floors
This dismal endorsement, is constantly damp,
and the vapOurs which are continually rising
from the ground settle about and penetrate the
joints and floors and soon cause them to rot
when the timbers and floors become saturated
with moisture they give out copious supply
OF noxlous gases which are inhaled by the CON
gregations to the serious injury of their health.
Who has not experienced the chilling sensation
IN entering our Churches in the Spring and
Fall when it is deemed too late or too early to
have fires? And who can tell how many of our
fellow citizens, young and old, have been hur-
RED to untlmey graves, or had their constitu-
lions destroyed by this criminal inattention to
the dictates of common prudence
10 avoid these evils, all Churches should be
built, either with easements under them, or if
that be not convenient, with large openings in
the walls beneath the floors, so as to secure
free passage Of air underneath, and enable the
damp vapours to escape, instead Of saturating
the planks of the floor
But this precaution is not, of itself, suffi>
cient. All Churches and School-houses should
have their windows opened in good weather,
so as to admit free access to the dry and whole
some atmosphere, and in addition to this pre-
caution, fires should be kindled hours in adj
vance Of the assemblage of the congregation,
or pupils, to dry the walls, and correct the gen.
eral dampness which pervades all buildings
which are not in constant use When the
weather is not cold these fires may be per-
mitted to die out, after they have accomplished
the object of neutralizing the moisture
A little attention to these suggestions, on the
part of the persons in charge Of our Churches
and Lighthouses, will save vast amount of
human suffering, and materially reduce the ex-
pendture for medicines and Doctors bills. An
ounce of prevention, is worth pound of cure
A SUFFERER.