The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-11-02
Is WATER NECESSARY TO MITIGATE
THE EFFECTS OF DRY AIR FROM
HEATING FURNACES?


The Boston Journal Of Chemistry takes the
negative of the above question? 1t main
tains-what no one ever denied-that when
air is heated it contains all the moisture it
contained before heating, but it comes to a
conclusion which no scientific man will denv
that 1t Is therefore absurd to suppose any
addition OF moisture is requisite
As we have said, no one ever thought of
denying that air loses none of its moisture nv
heating The fact is however, that when SO
heated it's appetite for water is vastly in.
creased, and not only its appetite is increas
ed, but It's capacity to seize upon and hold
water is Increased La this state it sutks at
every pore in the skin, robs the delicate
membranes OF the eyes and nostrils of their
moisture, enters the lungs, drying and irritat-
Ing them, causes the lips to crack, and other
wise Injuries the animal economy.
If its appetite is appeased from other
sources, 1t does no mischief, ard this can best
DC done by putting trough in its path at
which it can drink its fill before it enters the
apartment.
That air, heated, has its capacity for wafer
increased, has long been demonstrated fact
and calls for no additional proof at this time
But it finds proof in well known fact,
which we only bring forward to show mother
kind of mischief resulting from not satisfying
the demand for moisture, and to obvjate
which, were no other reason tenable, part1cu.
lar attention to supplying water to heating
furnaces is demanded. We allude to the e.
feet produced by dry hot air upon furniture
and the joiner work in buildings.
Carpenters and cabinet-makers will affirm
that wood of all kinds shrinks very much
more under the circumstances mentioned
then were the air supplied to rooms attains
proper hygrometrlc condition before it
enters them. And the most superficial oh.
server can scarcely fail to be convinced ofthe
truth OF this statement if situated to observe
and contrast the effects of moist and drv Air
upon wooden articles. We have seen these
effects upon the panels of doors almost ready
20 drop out, and upon furniture the glued
FONTS OF winch were torn asunder by undue
anu unequal Shrnkage caused bv the brea RI
OF ne merry simooms from tho registers vhlcb
zoo olten convert parlors into ovens which
hlih ury cot only every inanimate object con
Gaming any moisture, but also the dweller,
IN these health-blighting Enclosures.
IL costs some trouble to prevent these evi
results by Keeping an ample snpplv Of wate
not to do it. ''o'e "a
Any one who has attempted To cr,+iro+.
hOuse-plants in room warned bv beotod ~
has noticed how quickly they droon ord 10 - -
guish when the water is out of the 6eotnr o,1i
there are not few people who are 60 $50 ,,ani
tive to the effects of what is generally tarrns
dry heat" that they can determine a1mnsI
Immediately, by their uncomfortable srnSo
tions, when the water supply has failed
We trust the article referred to will mo-
have the effect to render any one who nses
hot-air furnace neglectful to keep the res
eryoir constantly supplied. This subject ba,
received the most careful attention of sci
entific men, and it has been long generaIl,
admitted that without proper attention t.
this important particular hotair furnaces ar
capable OF doing great mischief.