The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-02
House Ventilation.

The Westminster ReUieoo contains a valua
BILE paper upon "House-V Ventilation, which
is abridged in the Popular Science MoRthly
and we may still further abridge it in tn,
Tribune for The benefit of its readers, since
there is no subject of more practical value
and perhaps none concerning. which there is
such lamentable ignorance. A well ventila
ted house is one Ofthe chief conditions the
health of every family, and too much cannO
be said, therefore, 10 impress ats importance
. upon the community, more particularly upon
n the lowest classes. who are peculiarly the
victims of disease. Pure air is as essentia
10 health as pure water or wholesome TODD
and impure air just as dangerous as impure
water or food-perhaps more So US 1t is Il
more insidious and less easily recognized
poison. Its effects are slower, but Just as
sure and end IN breaking down health and
yitiating the physical constitution past all
remedy. And yet, notwithstanding the Ger
tainty Of its results, there Is very general
indifference to pure air, one cause of which
the writer of the article attributes to the ON
supply were small and it could only be OBJ
tanned BY the outlay of money, then people
might study its value more closely and APP.
ply it with more judgment in the operation
of hygienic laws.
The application of these general remarks is
found in the fact that nearly all modern
houses, especially these for the middle and
lower classes, are constructed without any
knowledge of or reference to ventilation, and
not only houses but churches, ;heaters, opera
houses and large public halls, and this, too,
Notwithstanding the fact that the theory of
ventilation is very simple one. "Ventila.
tiOn," says the writer, "is change of air." and
'perfect ventilation means the realization, in
great measure, Of the condition of air out
OF doors. Upon this general basis he lays
down two specific rules as necessary to per
feet ventilation. The first Is the entire re.
moval of the whole stratum of ar tainted in
u room by each respiration, and this removal
must be effected no less than twenty times
per minute. The second rule prescribes that
the large volume oil fresh air which is neces-
sary for perfect health must be tempered
or warmed. No raw, damp, or FROSTY air
should have ingress TO house, as such air
is only wholesome when person is out of
doors and wrapped properly. The general
condition of the air III house is vory VIVID.
~ described by this writer:
ave admit raw air, and we warm il most
at the critical moment when we send it up
the chimney, We freeze our backs and
scorch our faces. We sit with our feet in a
currant of cold air, and or heads are kept
in an impure atmosphere, vitiated by human
lungs, tue pIOuuCts vi PuSCOnsuuiptiOU, anu
loaded with animal matter We have torrid
zone bordered by the hearth-rug, and the Ar
tic regions in the neighborhood of the win
dows and doors. Medical men shiver at the
abstract idea of violent changes of tempera-
ture, but they raise no warning voice against
delicate patients being subjected to varia'
ton of sixty degrees in Il modern drawing
room
Upon the stereotyped notion that night air
Is unhealthy hequ0tes that excellent author
ity, Florence Nightingale, as follows:
Another extraordinary fallacy is the dread
of night air. What air can we breathe at
nigh, but night air. The choice is between
pure night air from without ard foul night
air from within. Most people prefer the lat
ter Al unaccountable choice. What will
they say II IL Is proved 10 be true that fully
one-hali Of all the disease we suffer from is
occasioned by people sleeping with their
windows shut! An open window most nights
in the year can'never hurt anyone. This is
notiosSy that hight is not necessary for r.