The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-01
THE DANGERS OF THE HOUSE.

Within our so.caled fire and burglar-proof
modern houses we feel tolerably secure from
danger. With the doors doubly barred and
bolted, and windows closed fast with iron
shutters, the ring of the fre-bell and the
sound of the poloemsns club are hardly lis
tened to, and if heard, they send back to US
only an additional sense of our own safety,
increased by the contrast of some probable
mishap to a more unfa pnate and less pro-
tected neigbbor.
While man is rejoicing in the
strength of his house ID is only conscious
of danger in the dis threatening some
remote inhabitant, g5 lth may be sitting
at his own side in his parlor, or pesti-
lence tainting with its breath the warm
atmosphere Of his coz ged, chamber. TIE
very precautions taken for protection are
often the surest meansof destruction. The
most ingenious contrivances for ease and
comfort become potent causes of pain and
suffering. The dwelling sought for length
ened enjoyment shortens life, and the walls,
within which refugAiN supp POSED, inclose
tomb. r
That the mansions s rich and great,
with all their splen luxurious arti-
fees of design and n "a, are full Of
danger is manifest FRI Very fact that
even their inhabitants, Arded as they
are supposed to be. af q victims of
pestilential disea6n jonsort Of
England was pit atmos-
phere genera 4oe; his son,
the Prince of VI escaped death
from an attack of 5disease, the cause
of which was attribt fto soilpipe skirt
ing in its course the royal bed chamber: ard
the latters youngest brother, Prince Lso
pold, caught also the affection, though iso-
lated from his fellow-students at the Uni
versity of Oxford, in a secluded country
mansion carefully chosen to secure not only
the nobility of his Royal Highness for sever
ance' sake, but his body for fear of danger
against too close contact with the common
atty.
The construction of a dwelling has IN
doubtedly much to do with its healthfulness,
1t will be rendered much more safe to live
in if it possessed the machinery requisite for
supplying it with those essentials OF health
and life, pure air and water in abundance,
and for quickly removing from it all the i'm
purities necessarily engendered BY its occu-
patton. 1t should be well provided with the
means of ventilation, such as windows and
doors, properly constructed, if not with a
special continuance for the purpose; with
drains of glazed stone-ware of CALDER not
less than six inches in diameter, with imper-
vious joints, and course so direct and SO
steep that what they receive may be instan-
taneously discharged. Waste and soil.pipes
Of strong cast-iron, with water-tight joints,
and caliber at least four inches in diane
ter, are also the requisites of each house.
Conduits of every kind which serve the pur-
pose of discharging whatever is waste and
foul should be placed as much as possible on
the outside of the dwelling. Water, of course,
of the purest kind should be of plentiful
supply and easy access. Means for the
equable warming of the whole habitation are
no less o necessarA part of the structure Of
every healthful d1 lling,
With all the D bubted advantages of a
proper construct titmay be doubted wheth
er the mode of ling has SO much to dc
with the healthf Is of house as the kind
of usage. We persuaded that any old
tenement may, iscreet management be
made less dang to health than the finest
mansion, with the modern convent
ences," under ands of the ignorant OF
imprudent 1t better, for health's sake,
to live in bait cottage, open to every
blast of wind ii blows, than in the most
solid structure pt closed to the least
breath of air. bople should understand
that windows are Jade not only to shut, but
| IN oman. and thew would do we'll TO Give heed