The Baltimore County union., 1881-11-26
PURE AIR AND HEALTH.

IL is hard for one TO keep up his spirits" in
certain states of the weather, and some poor
wretches attempt to remedy this by pouring
spirits down.. IL 10 not the degree Of heat cold,
Of dryness or moisture, which gives 20 the air u
depressing or n bracing influence: neither can IL
be any change in the proportion Of nitrogen or
oxygen, for this 10 invariabie. Some have Attrb-
uted it TO the amount Of ozone that happens TO be
present, . word that 10 used 10 indicate = mOdif.
cation Of oxygen. developed by electrical action
In thunder storms. and the existence Of whi:h 10
detected by peculiar smell in the atmosphere
There are persons who are kind Of living barom-
eter and they tell you they can feel IL in their
bones" when the wind Is about 90 change or a
thunder storm 10 impending. Rheumatic people
are particularly gifted in this respect.
The indispensableness of pure air in order 20
the enjoyment Of high health was not much ap-
preciated In days gone by. and this branch of
knowledge has become much more important
in its scientific aspect since the introduction Of
plumbing and elaborate sewerage and cellar fur
naces aud double windows aud anthracite coal
burning aud gaslighting aud numberiess 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 de-
populated whole districts almost in day, and the
systematic exclusion Of fresh air from the sick
chamber sent myriads Of people 90 their graves
who would have escaped IL they had only been lett
10 the curative resources of nature. II 10 notice
able fact that the most efficient remedies adopted
In day for the cure Of fever, such fresh air
aud sunlight, ice aud cold water. stinulants aud
nourishing food. were not very long ago resolutey
denied the suffering patient. no matter how strong.
~ his instincts might crave them. ! will remem.
Der how in former days. the professional bieedcr
in Philadelphia was habituaily called in to sap the
fountain o: life whenever the stream began to
slowly.
There are certain classes of persons Who are Pc
c1iiarly exposed TO deleterious atmospheric In.
ducnces, and u 10 not easy 90 how this evil can
be avoided. When the work 20 be done 10 Of such
n nature rs TO require that the room should always
be kept closed and the atmosphere h likely 10 be.
come charged with noxious gasses and poisonous
dust and Irritating fiaments, the workman can
hardly expect 20 oil out the full measure of his
days. The atmosphere of an ordinary factory l.
bad enough. and do not wonder that prominent
English manufacturer once said that he could not
bear Co punish or even awaken the little children
In the employ when they fell asleep in the mill.
How they manage to keep awake at all In such
. mephitic atmosphere 10 mystery. for the inces-
SAINT clattcr of the machinery. when one l. used
to u, operates rs n soporihc. IL IL true that the
human system has a strange facility in adapting
itself 90 untoward surroundings. and the heart
will keep on beating when one nigh, suppose ,hs;
u must soon collapse and stop forever.
Those who labor habitually In the open air have
a much stronger assurance of health aud longevity.
although they may be exposed TO great mutations
of heat and cold and the body will accastom itself
I
unwholesome elements in the air. Even an
treme artificial heat 10 not always prejudiciai 20
the health. ~ may be seen In the brawny frames
of the men who toll aud sweat over the pudding
furnaces Of . foundry. The heat seems TO pass
through them and ooze out nj their faces. without
doing any special harm. and they are quite sure
| 20 be In no danger from the presence Of any ina
Iarious germs In the atmosphere.
Students and writers, who pass their days In
| close and confined apartments. bending all the
st..g..l .i.f..
else, must expect. sooner or later TO pay the bit
ter penalty. In order 90 do healthy intellectual
work one must keep himself In healthy condition.
II this Law were more generally regarded the world
would be spared many . lugubrious poem, aud
unwhoiesome tale. aud wearisome treaties aud
| stupid sermon.
The depressing and baleful effects of unventiia-
ted halls and churches and school rooms better
understood than they were In days past. There
is s,iil great room for improvement, as may be
In the soporihc attitude Of many Of our crowd
| ed congregations, aud the heavy talk that falls
from the lips Of many . public speaker, and the
wandering eye of many = poor child. Who strives
| In vain 10 fx his thoughts upon the swimming
page. How often. In the midst of . sermon, have
] longed 10 stop and cry out. "OPen the windows
the hearts or the heads Of his congregation when
| he 10 obliged 10 address them through q medium
Of carbonie acid gas. Let the army of sections
throughout the land take note of this.
We all know what mischief the air can do when
u goes OF on one of its swim and awful journeys
aud rides the wings of the tornado and the hur-
ricane; but this is . work of destruction over
which man has no control. and for which of course
he is not responsible. II 10, however, when the
atmosphere Is most peaceful and quiet that Il does
It's deadiest work. II takes up out Of the damp
earth, and the soggy pool. and the decaying pile
of vegetable and animal ife and from all forms Of
9Th aud rottenness, seeds Of death, which no eye
discern or art Of analysis detect. and they are
waited In through the doors and the windows of
the abodes where men are waking and where they
are sleeping, and they are called 10 sleep the
sleep which knows no waking. For this evil we
are, however. In degree responsible, and u, BY
our neglect. we allow the atmosphere 20 become
charged With these seeds Of death, We mus, be con-