The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-29
LIGHT IN THE HOUSE.
whnt Dc, Richardson, the Author or"The
HygIenic CITY," Says AboufIt.

what De, Richardson, the Author of"The
HygIenic CITY," Says AboufIt.
DR.. Richardson, whose articles on health
have been cited so much in recent En-
glish publication produces an article called
Health and Home" which is replete
with wisdom. A most important point,
and one on which he dwells, is the fact
that SO many people are afraid ofthe light.
in dark and gloomy house you never
can see the dirt that pollutes it. Dirt &C.
cumulates dirt, and the mind soon learns
TO apologize for this condition because the
gloom conceals it." Accordingly, when a
house is dark and dingy, the air becomes
impure, not only on account Of the alb
sence OF light, but from the impurities
which are accumulated. Now; as DR..
Richardson cleverly puts it. we place flow
ers in our windows that they may
have the light. II this be the case;
why should we deprive ourselves
of the sunshine and expect to gain
health and vigor? Light and plenty
Of 1t, is not only purifier of things mani
mate, but it absolutely stimulates our
brains. 1t Is inregard 10 sick.rooms that
this excellent authority is particularly i'm
pressiye. It used to be the habit OF ply
sicians in old times to sedulously darken
the rooms, and this paactice continues TO
some extent even to-day. In certain very
acute cases OF nervous diseases where light,
the least ray OF 1t, dsturbs in oyer-exclt-
ing the visual organs, this darkening OF the
room may be permitted, but ordinarily to
keep light out OF the room Is TO deprive
the patient Of one oil the vital forces,
Children or old people condemned to live
in darkness are paleand wan, exactly like
those plants which, deprived OF light,
grow white. Darkness in the daytime
undoubtedly makes the blood flow less
strongly, and checks the beating OF the
heart, and these conditions are precisely
such as bring constitutional suffering and
disease. The suppression OF the light OF
day actually increases those contagious
malalies which feed on uncleanliness.
DR.. Richardson states: ~ once found by
experiment that certain organic poisons,
analogous to the poisons which propagate
these diseases, are rendered innocuous by
exposure TO light" Once in England
there was q tax placed on windows, but
this was driven out OF English legislative
after while, never 10 be brought up again,
because II was tax on human health.
This leading authority on hygiene has a
great deal Of fault to find with some OF the
architectural dementia oil to-day. A fash
ion introduced in England, and which has
some feeble imitation iu this country, Is To
reproduce the styles OF the Queen Anne
Ehouses. This peculiar method INDUCES In
small panes Of glass, oyerhanging windows
sharp, long roofs, with tiny openings. II
Is a relic OF ancient perversity, picturesque
liz you please, but perfectly at VARIANCE
with the dictates Of common sense. Il
YOU have big windows, which say admit
100 much light, the glare OF which 4
uncomfortable, a shade or curtain vii
keep out the sun; but have small win
dows, barely admitting the invigoratine
air aud light, do what you please, you can
not increase either air or light, suct
cramped windows interfere with the grea
work God gave to the sun. Architecture
elegance ought always TO be subsidiary't 4
ne necessities OF health. In the uniteC
States, though with climate differing
materially from that Of England, the law
Of health are the same. Our Angus
glare heats our houses, but still II should
| Be- admitted Of times, A house darkenet
and kept dafkened from the middle o
June 10 the lst OF September Is an un
. wholesome house. its GOODNESS may, !Sp
; paTently be refreshing, but tho air oil w
/ rooms, which stagnates, contains undoupi
: edly germs OF disease, which are not ID
iess dangerous because they are unappre
ciabla. As 1t Is, then, only the wingaT
OF the house, with panes OF glass who
admit the light, the precautions to kee
them clean and bright are not *, mncl
measures OF tidlneSs as absolutely hyglen
9 10 necessities.
As regards windows and their colstruC
3 ton, American invention has In this re
speCt not advanced anything like In PR
z portion 10 other things. The usual VII
3 dow with Its pounterpoiss weight present
: unusual difficulties as to cleansing i. 70
. ran get inside OF It, but the outside pr
!. sents great difficulties Save In the lowe
i storias, II may be pretty generally asser
ed that the upper windows OF house, u
h most important OF oil, which give light
( tb 1Ss' sSIsespins ioons, The glass Ii farpl
}. bright and clean. There seems 70 be
!. decided reluctance on the part oil buildee
j. to put In houses either the French WI
dow, which simply WORKS iike = daot,, (
: those windows which, hung in the middl
4 reyolye on the centre. For yentilatc
!. alone, such windows have great adYa