Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-03-04
Fresh Air for the consumptIys.

BY DIX. HENRY L. boMDllCH.
Build your houses in the country, in pre-
ference to any place near the sca-coast. In
the country choose a slope rather than a
plain to build upon, and where the sun can
have full access to 1t, ifpossble, all the day.
Be sure (if need be, by effectual sub drain
age) that the sod is thoroughly permeable to
water. Let no moisture from the soil, from
any source, be permitted to dlstil Its perni-
cious influences upon the future dwelling OF
its inmates, Let the rooms be large, of sub
stantial breadth rather than height, aud SO
pierced by windows that the air may have a
bounteous and free entrance and exit. Let
fireplaces be built in every room and cham
ber,-fireplaces made for real use, not kept
for show, and not closed with iron plates
which are to be pierced for air tight stoves.
Eschew all furnace heat except for warming
the entries and corridors.
Outside the house let there be ample space
for air and sunlight. One or iwo trees may
be permitted to grow near the house, but
not to oyershad0w il, for nothing but evil
comes from too much shade, citacr of trees
or climbing vines. Both of these may very
materially prevent the warm rays of the
sun Fl ON reaching dnd bathing the exterior,
or from penetrating the interior of the house,
which they should be allowed to do freely,
even in the depths Of summer. Nothing SO
deadens the atmosphere as the too constant
closure of the windows, blinds and curtains,
whereby light and heat as well as fresh air
are excluded Every morning let the win
dows be opened widely, so as to drive of
the remains of foul air that has necessarily
accumulated from the sleepers during ihe
previous night. Every night lst part OF
the windows. he Lift open, and II possible al
tho TOP and bottom, SO that during sleep
there may be still plenty of fresh, un-
breathed air for the children and adults ia
use. OF course the amount of space thus
opened will vary with the season but often,
even during our Northern winters, especially
| in furnace heated house, small aperture,
at least, may thus be left. Two or three
extra blankets only will be needed for any
GOODNESS thus caused.
AS to the value of fresh air, alike for the
healthy and the invalid, there seems to ex-
| ist great doubt In this community. Even
| the healthy have no real faith IN Its efficacy
| as means Of giving health. Invalids, al-
most without exception, we have to educate
to that faith. They have SO many doubts
about the weather 1t is too cold, too hot
too windy, too clustering. 1t is cloudy, OF
an east wind prevails. These and hun
dred other trivial deviations from perfect
weather are noted, and the unfortunate in
valid quiv.iy. -.aya withip doors day aftel
| day to avoid them Nothing Is nloro p.rni
sious, no behavior more unwise. Both in
valids and healthy persons ought to eschew
all such views as arrant folly. Whenevel
| in doubt" we say to our patients "abou
going out, dlDays go out. If violent
storm is raging, to which no one woult
expose himself, then keep to the house, bu
the moment 1t ceases, seize the occasion fo
exercise out OF doors" 1t would be bet
| ter" said the late John Ware, +" for every
body, sick and well, to face every storm
than to be fearful, as we now usually are
| of even a trace of foul weather. ."-Atidntit
Monthly, for March.