Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-06
House Plants and COnsum piIyes.
journal of Chemistry

Since 1t Is well known that certain malades-
especially those affecting the lungs and air
passages-are benefited by moderately moist
and warm atmosphere, and since plants furnish
moisture TO the warm air OF dwelling, these
may properly be claSSed as therapeutic agents,
and DR.. Anders gives testimony to sho;y that
they have sometimes proved TO be such AGENTS
He has made personal Inquiries OF thirty oar.
deners and florists of philadelphia concerning
the effects OF their occupation upon their
nealsil' ana Iouhd mat In several instances coz
sumptlEe tendencies mad apparently te N coun-
teracIeG 10y working among plants. Some of
lne cases are described in detail but we can
quote only The following conclusions drawn
from them:
From the ABOVE cases It will be sem that
what we had deduced from experimental re-
suits concerning the health-gfVing effects OF
plants (Which Is owing to Transportation increa3-
ing the humidity OF the air-the plants actinr
as natural and perfect "atoInizers'0 is entirely
in harmony with what Is observed concerning
me eject or sufficiently moist warm air In
many eases OF phthiSis; and If It is true. as we
nave attempted TO demonstrate, that house.
plant hygiene constitutes valuable proven.
i've measure where there is hereditary ten.
9eacy 10 certain diseases, then 1t ought to be
utlnltely ana thoroughly understood: and # is
OF vital Importance that it should be adonre1 in
cases where there is a known predisp0Sition to
Phlhlsls, lor half OF the cases are supposed to
be preventab!e, whereas Ii the disease be allowed
pected. NV ~ W Ga
The plants should be well selected and k emf
IL I'M living CuuultiOI. Inc Clter points 10 no
borne In mind In the selection OF the plants are
nlSt, mat they have SOFT, thin leaves; secondly
foliage plants, or those having extensive lea
surface, are to be preferred; thirdly, those
which are highly scented Gas the tuber0se, etc, !
should De avoided. because they often give rise
TO headache and other unpleasant symptoms
In Cfder 10 facilitate practical application of
tne DATA gained by experiment, the following
formula has been carefully prepared: Given a
Tooln 70 feet long, II feet wide, and ceiling -
feet high, warmed by dry air, dozen thrifty
plant S, with soft, thin leaves and lec' surface
OF six square feet each. would, If well watered
ard SO situated as to receive the direct rays OF
the sun preferably the morning sun) for an
least several hours, raise the proportion or auue-
Gus vapor TO about the health standard.
To obtain the best results. both the rooms
occupied during the day and the sleeping apart
ment should contain plants. It was for a long
time the opinion or scientific Interpreters gen.
orally that plants ia sleeping apart ments were
unwhoieSome because OF their giving on car.
bonic acid gas at night; but IL has been shown
by experiment that it would require % thrifty
plants to produce an amount OF the gas eQuiva-
lent to that eXhaled by one baUy-sieeper; Sc
this is no valid objection to their admission. and
not to be compared With the benefit arising
from their presence.