Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12
Concerning Air.

In order to appreciate fully the impor-
| lance of pure air, it is necessary to under
| stand its physiological relations to the
| animal economy.
| Air aceomplishes two things-it is the
vehicle by means of which large portion
Of the waste, dead, poisonous matter
which is constantly generated IN the sys-
tenn, and thrown off by the lungs and
skin, is carried away from it, and it
| brings to the system oxygen, a substance
without which no life can exist for mo-
ment.
In regard to the first point, it IS only
| necessary to state that the ability OF the
| air to carry away from the body its poi
| sonous emanatiOns is in exact proportion
to the purity of the air In order that the
air be pure it must be continually changed;
| otherwise a person is enveloped in a con-
| stantly thickening cloud of Ibis dead
SELF" and breathes himself over and over
again; under which circumstances it may
| truly be said that ''man's worst enemy is
| his own BREATH
In order the more fully to understand
what is accomplished by oxygen within
| the system, let us call to mind what oc-
ours outside the body when oxygen forms
| combinations with any OF that class OF
| substances called organic.
The term organic matter is used to dis
| tinguish that which has at some time IN
| dergone the process of growth; it includes
all animal and vegetable matter which
has not lost its character as such by the
process of decay, or by some form OF com
bustion; it differs from all other matter
(Which is called inorganic) in the very
important circumstance that it contains
stored up within it, in latent form, what
is called force.
During the process of growth, all ami
NAL and vegetable cxistences appropriate
and imprison the rays Of light and heat
which they receive from the sun, the veg
etable directly and the animal for the
most part indirectly, through the medium
of food.
Now it is the great office of oxygen to
lIberGte this latent force. In the familiar
example of ordinary combustion it is lib
Grated as light and heat, but the particu-
lar form of its manifestation varies with
the varying circumstances attending its
liberation.
If kernel of wheat, for instance, be
exposed to an elevated temperature in the
presence of oxygen, chemical union
takes place between the oxygen and the
CICIucAtS VI buS NuSdt, LIZ III dIIu HGdG are
given out, and that which was organic,
live matter becomes inorganic and dead
The oxygen has, as it were, entered in and
driven out the force from its hiding-place
A process similar to this occurs in the
living body; here as in the kernel of
wheat is force in a latent form, which
must be set free by the same agent,
oxygen.
In the body, however, matter exists in
a great variety of forms, and the circum-
stances and conditions attending the lib
Grafton of its force are MANY and dissimi-
lar. Hence we might expect what we
actually observe, a great variety of dynamic
manifestations within the body.
Oxygen is carried by the blood to every
microscopic point of the system; it stands
ready wherever there is organic matter,
which is everywhere, to form combina-
lions with it and set at liberty the impris-
oned force. When this force is set free
in muscular tissue it manifests itself as
muscular contraction; in nerve tissue it
takes the form Of nerve force; in one Or
gan it shows itself as an eXcretive, in an
other as secretive force; while in the
brain, that most wonderful of all mechan-
isms, it manifests itself under all the vary
ing forms of thought, evolution and con-
seriousness. This union of oxygen with
organic matter precedes and is the eff
cient cause of all activity within the body.
But the matter which by this union has
yielded up its force has become dead; its
office in the system has been accomplish
ed. No sooner, however, does it assume
this lifeless form than there is developed
In the surrounding atoms force of re-
pulsion which separates it from the liv-
ing tissue and throws it off into the blood,
by which it is carried to the different
secretory organs, and by them alienated
from the system. The lungs and skin do
large share of this eliminating, and it is
with this effete matter that person con-
teammates the air. But the blood which
carries the oxygen carries also the mate
rial for repair; and no sooner is the dead
atom expelled than a live atom rushes in
and takes its place, where it remains un-
til called upon in turn to yield up its life,
and thus fulfill its mission in the great
economy of nature.
These considerations enable US to real
ize the important part which oxygen
plays in the phenomena Of life. There
can be no perfect development and no
healthy efficient action without liberal
supply This supply, in the exact form
which the system demands, is furnished
by pure atmospheric air. In this way
oxygen comes to the lungs mingled in
due proportion with nitrogen, portion
of it being in that modified form called
ozone.
All pure air contains ozone, and owes
its life and health giving power in no
small degree to its presence.
Air is deprived of its ozone and loaded
with poisonous matter by being breathed,
by passing through the hot-air chamber
of an over heated furnace, and by passing
over decaying animal and vegetable mat
ter, such, for instance, as exists IN open
sewers and cesspools.
Foul water-closets and damp, unclean
cellars accomplish the same result; so in
an eminent degree do those ingenious
contrivances called Baltimore heaters;
also stoves and ranges with heater attach
ments. In all of them air that has been
breathed, perhaps several times over, is
called upon to do duty second time, at
ter having been purified, as the writer
has been gravely informed, by passing
| through heated chamber, where
it is deprived of its ozone, and freighted
with coal-gas. These things subserve an
excellent purpose where scarcity OF air
renders economy in its use an object, and
where a surplus of population makes it
| desirable to increase the bills OF mortal
| ity; but where air is plenty and cheap
| they can be dispensed with without detrl-
| ment.
By such causes a vast amount of dis
ease is produced The necessity of
keeping the lungs abundantly supplied
! with MIRO cir m he 1uliy annrp-