The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-11-17
Pure Air and Health.

and some poor wreteheS attempt to
remedy this by pouring spirits down"
1t is not the degree Of heat or cold, of
dryness or moisture, which gives to the
air depressing or braeing influence;
neither can it be any change in the
proportion Of nitrogen or oxygen,
for this is invariable. Some have at
tributed it to the amount of ozone that
happens to be present, q word that is
used to indicate modification of oxy-
gen, developed by electrical action in
thunder storms, and the existence of
which is detected by peculiar smell in
tho atmosphere. There are persons
who are kind OF living barometer, and
they tell you they can ..feel it in their
bones when the wind is about to
change or q thunder storm is impend-
ing. Rheumatic people are particular
ly gifted in this respect.
The indispensableness Of pure air in
order to the enjoyment OF high health
was not much appreciated in days gone
by, and this branch of knowledge has
become much more important in its sci
entific aspect since the introduction of
plumbing and elaborate sewerage and
cellar furnaces and double windows and
anthracite coal burning and gaslighting
and nunberless other improvements
which have come in with the advance of
civilization. But yet, just for the want
of that knowledge, we read of great
plaques that depopuiated whole dis
tricts almost in a day, and the system
attic exclusion of fresh air from the sick
chamber sent n1yriads of people to their
graves who would have escaped if they
had only been left to the curative re-
sources OF nature. 1t is q noticeable
fact that the most efficient remedies
adopted in our day for the cure of fevers,
such as fresh air and sunlight, ice and
cold water, stimulants and nourishing
food, were not very long ago resolutely
denied the suffering patient, no matter
how strongly his instincts might crave
them. / well remember how, in former
days. the professional bleeder in Phila-
delphia was habitually called in to sap
the fountain of life whenever the stream
began to move slowly. &
There are certain classes of persons
who are peculiarly exposed to deleterious
atmospheric Influences, and it is not
easy to see how this evil can be avoided.
When the work to be done is of such a
nature as to require that the room
should always be kept closed and the
atmosphere is likely to become charged
with noxious gases and poisonous dust
and irritating filaments, the workman
can hardly expect to fill out the full
measure 81 his days. The atmosphere
of an ordinary factory is bad enough,
and do not wonder that prominent
English manufacturer once said that he
could not bear to punish or even awak-
en- the little children in his employ
when they fell asleep in the mill How
they manage to keep awake at all in
ssucha mephitic atmospheric is mystery,
for the incessant clatter OF the machin-
cry. when one is used to it, operates as
4 soporific. It is true that The human
system has strange facility in adapt
ing itself to 1ntoward surroundings, and
the heart viii keep on beating when one
might suppose that it must soon col
lapse and stop forever.
IS Those who labor habitually in the
open air have much stronger assur-
ance of health and longevity, although
they may be exposed to great mutations
of heat and cold, and the body will ac-
custom itself to these changes more
readily than it can to any unwholesome
elements in the air. Even an extreme
artificial heat is not always prejudicial
to the health. as may be seen in the
brawny frames of the men who toll and
sweat over the pudding furnaces of 8
foundry. The heat seems to pass
through them and ooze out at their
faces, without doing any special harm,
and they are quite sure to be in no dam
ger from the presence of any malarious
germs in the atmosphere.
Students and writer's. who pass their
days in close and confined apartments,
bending all the while over their desks,
neglectful OF outdoor exercise, must
expect, sooner or later, to pay the bitter
penalty. In order to do healthy intel
lectual work one must keep himself in
a healthy condition. If this law were
mere generally regarded the world
would be spared many lugubrious
poem, and uwholesome tale, and weari-
some treatise and stupid sermon.
The depressing and baleful effects Of
unventilated halls and churches and
school rooms are better understood
than they were in days past. There is
still great room for improvement, as
may be seen in the soporific attitude of
many of our crowded congregations,
and the heavy talk that falls from the
lips of many public speaker. and the
wandering eye of many poor child,
who strives in vain to fix his thoughts
upon the swimming page. How often,
in the midst of sermon, have longed
to stop and cry out, "Open the win
dows! let in little fresh ARP No
preacher can reach the hearts or the
heads of his congregation when he is
obliged to address them through q
medium Of carbonic acid gas. Let the
army of sections throughout the land
take note OF this.
We all know what mischief the air
can do when it goes off on one of its
swift and awful Journeys and rides on
the wings Of the tornado and the hurri-
cane; but this is work of destruction
over which man has no control, and for
which of course he is not responsible.
It is, however. when the atmosphere is
NEST peaceful and quiet that it does its
deadliest work. 1t takes up out of the
damp earth, and the soggy pool, and
the decavin0 nile of veretabla and AMI