The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-12
HOUSE VENTILATION.
SEVERAL METHODS OF SECURING
PLENTY OF FRESH AIR.
Valuable Suggestions on . Subject Which
Il of Vital Importance in Every Home.
Too Many Houses Are Death Traps
Because of Initiated Air.

Because of Initiated Air.
Dr. Howard Van Rensselaer,, of Albany.
has written an essay on Impure Air and
Ventilation of Private Dwellings" that
was awarded prize by the New York
State Medical association Here are sons
extracts from, Dr. Van Rensselaer's article:
Were people killed outright by foul air,
It's dangers would be carefully guarded
against, but its effects are slow and insidi-
Gus, and often ascribed TO other causes
We are careless of it's results because, a.
its effect al any one time is slight, We grow
accustomed to it and disregard its risks,
and after being in its presence few min
utes our senses become dulled and do not
warn us of the danger.
But while the immediate effects seem
triiing. yet il is true that any prolonged
vitiation of this source of supply interferes
with the proper working of our orgsniza-
tons and depresses our vital functions.
Statisticians have shown that OF the causes
of mortality the most important and far
thest reaching Is impure air.
We keep our windows closed great part
of the year-during the winter 20 keep out
the cold and IN the heated term in sum-
mer TO exclude the heat-so that the circu-
lation and renewal of air in our houses are
at these times slight The incoming air
introduced for ventilation may Be vitiated
or not according 10 our surroundings; but
once in. IL may become contaminated in
several ways and unless we take special
pains 20 remove this foul air IL rapidly ac-
cumuIates becomes offensive and is meR-
ace to health.
The primary condition for ventilation II
that the incoming air shall be pure; it
must be pure external atmosphere Air
that is drawn from small. closed courts. or
from between back to back buildings or
that has blown over refuse or that rises
from q cellar is unfit for continuous
breathing. The sun rarely or never visits
these spots and the wind gets no chance 70
sweep through them. Especially bad is
the cellar air, as cellars ara apt TO be damp,
moldy and dark, and are frequently pol
luted by decaying vegetables and the ash
heap, aud currents OF air arc constantly
passing through them from the soil below.
so that sewer air from defective drainage in
the neighborhood may easiiy enter and be
sucked through the house. This danger
is particularly great if the house is heated
by furnace whose wooden air box passes
through the cellar
In providing inlets q number OF things
have to be taken into consideration. The
inlsts must be 90 placed that the air can
not blow directly on the occupants Of the
room, and they must be of such size that
sufficient incoming air is obtained without
q high velocity, for il the movement is
greater than two or three feet per second
drafts are experienced, and besides q
slow current is more favorable for uniform
diffusion than a rapid one.
IL it can be avoided air should not enter
through openings at the level OF the floor,
as dust readily falls into the openings and
fouls the air, and II the incoming air Is
cooler than the temperature Of the room it
chills the feet The place of admittance Of
cool air should be above the heads Of the
occupants, and means should be taken TO
the current il too rapid. and the
flow should be directed upward, as there,
meeting the warmer air of the ceiling. it
mingles with it, becomes warmer and
gradually spreads through the room The
external openings of the inlets should
give on a place where the AIR is uncontam-
mated. They should be short and so ar
ranged that they admit of ready cleansing.
They should be numerous and small, rather
bDdlI dIkc huu sing 90 tACJ ~Ao s-NS hNoo
liable to cause drafts.
When the conditions are such that the
window cannot be freely opened, it can be
arranged in one of several ways 70 provide
sufficient fresh air. Hinckes-Bird's meth
cd consists of placing movable block OF
wood under the entire length OF the lower
window sash, thus raising the top of the
lower sash above the bottom of the upper.
BY this procedure considerable space be-
tween the two window frames is left,
which the incoming air freely
passes, and being impelled in an upward
direction il causes no draft.
In Tobin's tube the air from outside en-
tiers through hole in the wall and is con-
Quoted by an upright tube into the room.
The opening Of the tube is above the heads
of the occupants, and the air escaping as
cends toward the ceiling.
Cooper's ventilator consists Of series Of
apertures in window pane arranged in n
circle, which can be partially or entirely
CLOSED by glass disk. movable on pivot,
with corresponding apertures. In private
houses during parties the rooms often be-
come insuferably hot and close These
unpleasant features can to a great extent
be avoided by having temporary Shering-
ham valve. constructed Of wood and can
vas and inserted above the upper sash Of
the window, which Is lowered for the pur-
pose.
The Sheringham valve consists OF an
opening thrsugh the wall for the air 20
pass, the entrance being usually guarded
By a strainer Of some sort 70 keep out dust.
On the inside is Waived iron plate with
closed sides aud hinged at the bottom. An
is arranged TO more or les
change il. The entrance should
be little smaller than the exit. that the
Of the current into the room may
be diminished. It is usually placed near
the ceiling.
ventilating freplaoes are marked inn |
provements on the ordinary hreplaces. |
They have all the advantages OF the latter.
and in addition they prevent drafts Of cold |
air By sending into the room air that -
partially warmed. Fresh ayr IL admitted |
10 the back q the crate into chsmber
which is warmed by large heating sur !
face, and, being carried Up by hne, dis |
charges into the upper part Of the room. |
There are t number % different kinds Of |
good ventilatinz 6replacss AID ventii4,ins !
stoves made The merits claimed for these |
improved frrpla.ses arc
That they vsuIilate the room
That they MAINTAIN an eqEsbls tsDpera-
tnre IN al! par.s q the roam and prevent /
drafts
That the heat from radiation Is thrown |
INTO the room better than from other |
CRATES
That tie fir brick lining prevents the !
FIRE from gong out. even when left I'M /
touched for l.Jng time, and prevents the /
rapid changes cf Temperature which occur /
y rr,oEns IN cold weather from ths. cause.
That they econ0ETize fuel. partly 81 zaak- |
ing use Of ias spare brat which would /