The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-06
Pure Air.
BIZ DIR. j. Il. HANAFoRD.


The propriety of the use of an abun-
dance of pure air may be inferred from
the vast supply of it-an ocean more
than forty miles deep enveloping the
earth. Its Importance may also be de-
duced from the fact that, while it is
constantly vitiated, its purity destroyed
by combustion and respiration, there
are influences and forces as constantly
this great body of air, not only to guard
against the natural results of its poison
ing influences when thus contaminated,
but to restore to it it's original purity,
its native life-imparting power. This
is done principally through the agency
of water, also abundant in its supply,
and the vegetable kingdom, which, with
its unnumbered lung-leaves, is ever
gathering up and appropriating what to
animal life is ever noxious-fatal in their
results, but vigor and growth to vegeta-
BILE life. With such a supply, there
fore, ample for our world though its
sentient beings should be increased
tenfold, and with these wind, wave and
vegetable influences, restoring its purity
as fast certainly as the opposing infiu :
ences of combustion and respiration can
vitiate it, we need not be parsimonious
in its employment. We need not fear
that in using just as much as the
capacity of our lungs will permit we
shall ever encroach upon the rights of
our neighbors, for the good Father has
amply and abundantly supplied the
wants of all of His creatures.
Again, facts show us that an adult,
that he may have a good supply, and
that of the best quality, or such as his
health demands, should have at least
from seven to ten cubic feet of fresh air
each minute. This supply has direct
reference to the publication of the
blood, matter of vast importance, and
to the sustenance of the body, impart-
ing vitality and power, one OF the great
energizing influences.
But how shall we obtain an ample
supply of this vital fluid, an absolute
necessity to all living creatures? 1
answer not in our box-like sleeping
apartm ents, with closed doors and win
| dows, to exclude even breath of fresh
air On an average these will not con-
tain enough air to last their occupants
more than three-fourths of an hour,
while during the remaining seven the
occupants might breathe a vitiated air,
| poisonous, loaded with the emanations
| from bodies constantly ejectln9
waste and impure matter, not
| unlike the noxious miasmata Of
| the cesspoo1 and the low lands of the
| South, with the seeds of disease and
the diseasive tendencies of those around
us. We shall not find pure air, such as
the Creator manifestly intended for us,
in most of our churches, especially
those well filed, since the air of these
cannot remain absolutely pure for more
than fifteen minutes. During the rest
of the services, while the preacher is
presenting the great incentives of purity
of life, we are compelled at each inspira-
ton to breathe the fumes of whisky and
tobacco, the corrupting effiuyia of scrof-
uIa the taint, it may be of the 2lutretdc-
the breath of him whohas worse than a
mark of Cain upon him, the almost IN
eradicable curse stain of Hbertinlsm,
with the seeds of disease saturating the
whole air of the room. We shall not
find it in our lecture rooms, our shops,
our larger manufactures or in our
school rooms, often packed to their ut
most capacity, where science is taught
and yet with an utter disregard of some
of the fundamental princlples-the
alphabet of practical science. We shall
not find it in any place where the occu'
pants-unlearned, to say the least
manifest zeal and ability worthy of q
good cause, in their efforts to shut out
this friend of man and beast, SO eager,
as it might seem, to bless, that it at
tempts to insinuate its presence wher-
| ever it may gain access. 1t will not be
found in our closed apartments only
so far as we secure its presence by
proper means of ventilation, remember
ing that the most important consldera'
ton is the escape of the foul air, which
must be succeeded by fresh supply. The
proper means of securing this air may
be determined by each individual, but
must be done by open doors, windows
| iudiciously effected, or by regular ven
| tilators. Even slight orifces opposite
each other, if abundant, will do much,
if not all that is necessary. And should
we admit this air in the night, we need
not, therefore, infer that it must be
poison, since if we breathe IN the night
we must breathe night air. And such
night air is not only not generally poi
son, but, even in the most malarious dis
tricts, can scarcely be so poisonous as
it too generally is in our closed sleep
ing rooms.
If we would breathe sufficiently OF
this air we must make an effort, must
go out into the world, must expand the
lungs and admit the fresh air to their
six hundred millions of air cells, not
only as a means of invigoration, but
for the prevention of that most fatal
of the diseases of pulmon-
ary consumption, so many victims OF
which are sacrificed annually for the
want of pure air, free even to the poor
est Chicago Ledger.