Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-02-18
For tho To
Ventilation Again,

FcI tho Telegraph.
Ventilation Again.
In nay last communication. I spoke of same
Of the properties Of Carbonic Acid aud Car.
bonic Oxide, as noxious agents that sre some.
times found In dwellings. These gases are
both the product of combusilon--tho latter Of
an imperfect form Of combustion, where oxy-
gen Is not supplied In sufficient quantities 10
fully Oxidlzo the carbon OF the fuel
The result OF such combustion IL tho forma-
tien Of part Carbonio Acid, Carbon, one
equivalent and oxygen two equivslents) and
part Carbonlc Oxide, Carbon one equivalent
and Oxygen one equivalent) I also stated that
when fuel burns with blue fame, this latter
excessively poisonous gas is formed In large
proportion. When this escapes into close
rooms, and Is respired its effects are more or
less injurious, and always moro hurtful than
carbonic acid. When the supply of air is
shut off from fire this gss Is always
formed, and 1t often Is allowed to escape into
the room. The opinion ia almost universal
that stores are unheaithy-which opinion 10
doubtless correct. They cause headaches and
neuralgias and lay the foundation for various
other more serious diseases II Is not because
they carry off more oxygen than fire. places or
CRATES, because the reverse is true.
Fire-places and CRATES, however, are always
supplied with oxygen and hence Oannet form
the most dsleterious gas, and whatever inju-
rious substances may be formed in them Is in
stantly swept up the chimney or smoke flue
and thus cut of reach. They also necessitste
q constant change of air from some source, TO
prevent vacuum. Hence they are Justly
considered healthful. Well made stoves, with
direct, open draught, are equally free from
objection.
The opinion, however, is quite common
that hot stove in room is capable-in some
way-of injuring the air, simply by its heat.
ed surface coming in contact with the air
Some say it thus burns the air or burns out ii,
Oxygen. Hot iron is, doubtless, capable of uni
ting with oxygen and forming oxide of iron
as all have observed, when watching the
blacksmith. His iron at white heat soon be-
comes covered with scales of oxide of iron
which he always brushes away before ht
welds The iron. At red heat. il untes with
very small amount of oxygen. but not enough
|
of a room, or even form the thnnest crust o
iron rust on polished stove for many months
If it is only occasionally brought TO a rec
heat. 4 hot stove does not thus c0ntaminati
the air. The atmosphere will stand any
amount of heat without changing its vita
properties. When cast iron, however, is heat
ed TO high degree, its crystalline structure il
50 changed by expansion, that it permits til,
gases within to escape through the porous
structure, and then it does harm.
A frclox or flue thus heated, might permit
gases to escape, either by exudation or througl
the joints or cracks. especially if the upwart
draught through the smoke fiue were obstruct
ed. Hence, we find that stoves with reversi
ble, or diving fiues, and especially those o
cast iron and those tha; burn coal are th
most uahealthy.
The attempt TO save heat by kecpias til,
smoke and bot gases long time in an air
tight stove and the aucs connected with it, i
quite apt TO injure the atmosphere far NOR
than it warns 1t. The more nearly the stog,
resembles the open CRATE in its mode of action
the more heaIthful it is likely to be.
In this eonneetion-athougk perhaps no
apropOs To the SUBJECT w0nld refer to tn
notice, in the last Springfield .-Repu5
hsan, of the death OF an old citizen of fIins
dale. Mass, very near Geighbor OF mine il
my early childhood He WIS then hale OLE
man of three score and ten, and occupied th
brown house of his early years, and sat by it
huge, open fireplace evenings and slept by i
At night He labored hard and drank deepl!
Of his hard cider and sometimes of somethin!
stronger His age at death. was 103 years, II
months and "a days. His greatlongeyiiy illus
tratcs 10 some extent, the greater healthful
ness of tie old fashioned style of living, al
though this is by no R,esns the best part OF il
In my next, shall speak Of some of tn
poisonous animal exLalatioEs.