National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-10

IL is Just MS important that we breathe pure mir
water. Indeed, It Is more important to attend to
the cleanliness of medium In which we are al
ways bathed, aud which is constantly passing IN
and ont of our bodies than of that which is ooca-
Honally introduced into an organ which contains
huid possessing a certain antiseptic and destruc-
tive power over injurious substances. Many OF us
would hesitate long before immersing our bodiesin
nool of filthy water and 1t is time we were being
educated up TO the same rcpugnancc for hlthy ar
IL is now well ascertaincd fact that air only
moderately vitated, If breathed for n long time
day after day, produced most serious results. The
train of evils" says one of our authorities, rs so
slowly but surely laid rs to escape the observation
of an experienced medical man, VINO sees in case
OF blood-poisoning from impure air one of imper-
feet or defective assimilation, anNmia, dyspepsia
hysterica disOrdcrcd hillary functions, or one OF
those indefinite or chronic ailments which lead the
way TO the development of some yisceral disease
In the hardening ROOM engraving division we
found several charcoal furnaces and practically no
means OF ventilation.
As | said before. the atmosphere in all the rooms
was found about the same. The corridors are vast
ducts for the transmission of foul air from one
room to the other.
one OF the water closets was exceptionally free
from offensive odoTs, and 10 was found TO be one
which had been particularly offensive ut the time
OF former Inspection Of the closets and the en-;
ginecrs attention being directed TO IL he had placed
a small fan under the seat, constructed duet TO
the roof and, keeping the fan in motion, the foul
odors were carried of most successfully Upon
visiting some of the others, and finding them very
far from pleasant, inquiry was made as to why the
swered, "Why2"
1t would be useless to go on and describe the con-
dition of each separate room. The air was foul in
ALL aud some means for the improvement of the
defect in ventilation should he made at once.
The conditions before described can in no way
be attributed to the officers in charge of this bureau
On the contrary everything in their power has
been done to better the sanitary condition of the
rooms. The utmost cleanliness was observed on
all sides, but the construction of the building and
nature of work initiates against their efforts and
they arc but the sufferers.
Passing down on the third floor of the building
the rooms used by the Light-Houso Board, Depart
mont of the Internal Revenue, Comptroller of the
| amined Here we had but q repetition of our cX-
| perience above. The only difference being that
the atmosphere was free from the odors of inks
clothing &c, Sc. The air was impure, however, and
no means are provided for ventilation Transoms
are supplied over the doors, but the air passing in
from the halls Is Just as foul ns that in the rooms
and consequently this affords no relief
The secret of the foul air in the halls was found
upon getting into the basement later on. This UNI
derground portion of the building is but vast re-
ccptoclo for the manufacture of foul mir which by
means of the stairways, Is carried into the halls
above, and thence distributed via the transoms into
| the rooms. The hottest air congregating ana being
held in the upper stories attracts the air from be-
| low, which is always found forcing its way in vol
umcs up the stnirways. One need only to walk
| down one of these openings TO have practical IL
lustration Of this fact The basement is flied with
printing-oiCes. bindcrics, storcrOOms, and work
shops for the various trades, each Of which c0ntr
butcs its share of mpurity to the air which is sent
above to be breathed by the clerks and other em
plOyees
| The rooms occupied by the Lighthouse Board
especially Nos. q, ~ and 2j, occupied by ladies
are very defective in ventilation, having only the
windows and transoms to depend on -
| The watcr.COSetS in the southwest corner of the
building on this floor were very offensive, and the
appliance Of vcnlator similar TO that used III the
closet referred to IN the Bureau Of Engraving and
| Printing would be of great advantage. The soil
pipes attached TO every closet in the building
should have proper ventilating tubes. II is simply
| impossible to keep free from onenso any water
| closet uisClQruinW INTO nuyCutilutgU sewer con
necuon.
SEWER GAS
is a subtle enemy to health, and we should be wei
entrenched against il in such II building as this
The odor Of the sewers was plainly perceptible IL
nearly every closet entered one or two of tht
rooms in which they were situated had means pro
vided for conducting Off offensive odors; but We
are told IL Is waste Of ventilation when directed
against avodoblc polutlons of the air, Traps wer,
found in these closets, but ventilation of the
pipes will perform the great protection No tral
or seal is absolutely safe unless the pipe is vcnti
lated.
Passing from the closets along the hall of tn,
west wing the rooms were each examined, but moth
ing new was revealed. Occasionally an open graft
was found in n room, and in every such case
where II was in use, an improvement in the air wa
noticed.
A contrvancc for admitting fresh mir was notice,
in some of these rooms and i'll many of the other
aftcrward. 1t consists of an opening about half al
inch in width just under the wndow-sill, on tn
outside, whence fresh air was TO enter then passing
over and down was admitted TO the room through
n perforated board at the floor. These have gon
ont of use for various reasons. Many were foun
plastered up on the outside others closed fror
within and they were generally spoken of as
nuisance" Clerks sitting near them complaine
that the draught Of cold air on their feet gave then
colds. Then they interlered II Is said, with tn
heating of the coils over which air entering passed
and they have been condemned as useless.
Draught Is not ventilation Good ventilation is tn
art Of supplying to each room in building pur
air of heNlthiul degree of humidity, with an aC
: cOmpanying provision for the immediate remove
of that which has been brcathcd and in such mar
| N a 1pot ifpnlritN n
is detected by The nose. When we enter rooi
. containing more than sXvolumes Of carbonic aci
in 10000 of air We pronounce It close, disagreed
bic and our senses warn that II is not the propt
] condition of the element in which we live; y,
there Is scarcely q room in this building whtci
after having been occupied two hours in the moTI
ing, does not contain this amount and more of Ca
bOnic acid and animal organic matter thrown U
by the lungs in respiration
; In the Files Division, on the fourth floor Of I'll
north wing, the atmosphere was very otensiv
: These rooms are packed with shelves containi
/ stamp stubs and being dark considerable gas has
be burned. Besides being in very unhealthfl
condition, there must be great danger from fire.
would prove n perfect tinder box in case of an AZ
clicnt Of this kind. The water closets on thli
, floor in the northeast corner were also very ocl
r siye. having an insufficient water supply and 4
> ventilation, They also insufficient in numbe
g The rooms occupied by the Comptroller of IL
: same condition. In room 30, Organization Div
sion air was very foul; here we found the windoy
q sill ventilators closed. No change for the bet
: was experienced in the rooms occupied by the i
rector ofthe Mint, and his assistants. Room 3
@ was especially noticeable for its foul air and Q
= icnsiye OdOrs
. The employees in Ionn Division are no better o
. Indeed, working Mt night as they do, burning N
!; mcrous gasJetS, and being without means for Il
removal OF foul air IL Is wonderful that they eNi,
n inquiry among the employees here have elected Il
i fact that headache Is u common complaint and
q my opinion persons exposed to such inhuonc
must fall an easy prey to any disease which attac
the system.
on the second floor of the building It was but Il
- same stOry-wlndOWs and tIansOmS WindOl
never opened except In warm weather; transol
. open in majority OF cases. air in halls as foul
" in the rooms.
u In some OF the rooms in the Secretarys Office al
= IN the Retention Division, we found piles OF o
4 currency which, after pSsslng through hundreds nl
u thousands of hands is brought here and TecOuntC
J. bundled and cancelled. The OdOr from this INT
. ofhlthy paper was plainly perccptb)c upon ente
~ ventilated rooms TO poison the air special arrung
u mcnts should be made for II In thoroughly ven
~ lated apartments, and thorough dtseniuCliOn De
x sorted 10 before handling
~ The rooms in the south wing are in sOmeWh
y better condition. but there is room for great il
20 prOVement even there.
u In the basement as said before, there are n
" mCrOus workshops, stOrCrOOmS &C. Nc. The bin
W. cry on east wing, with all the impurities from gli
w &C, attendant upon such an institution; the ii
pt room of Internal Revenue Department, filed wi
~ old books, files, &c,, carpenter and cabinet maxi
!" shops, priutingOihcCs, &C., all generating impu
=, air to be carried alOit,
n At the time of our inspection they were w0Shi
L, the floor Of the west hall in the basement 1t bel
m Il wooden one; rs soon us we turned to descend
r. stairway 10 the basement the OdOr OF sONp'su
m arising from the drying boards met our nOsuIls a
nr It was simply Disgusting.
No All the impurities which arise below are earli
II by means of the stairways and ira,lsoms direct