Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-03-25
HOUSE VENTILATION.
SEVERAL METHODS OF SECURING
PLENTY OF FRESH AIR.

! DIR. Howard Van lGenSSeldeI1 o. Alpeiig' /
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 some
extracts from DR.. Van Rensselaer, articles |
Were people killed outright by foul air |
its dangers would be carefully guarded |
against, but its effects are slow and insldi- |
ous. and often ascribed to other causes |
We are careless Of its results because, AS
its effect at any one time is slight, we grow
accustomed to il and disregard its risks,
and after being in its presence a few min
utes our senses become dulled and do not
warn us Of the danger.
But while the immediate effects seem
triniug, yet it is true that any prolonged
vitiation Of this source Of supply interteres
with the proper working Of our organiza-
tions and deprcsses our vital functions.
Statisticiaus have shown that of the causes
Of mortality the most important and Tar
thest reaching is impure air.
We keep our windows closed a great part
Of the year-duriug the winter TO keep out
the cold and in the heated term in sum
mer to exclude the heat-so that the circu-
latfon and renewal of air in our houses are
at these times slight. The incoming air
introduced for ventilation may be vitiated
OF not, according To our surroundings; but
once in, it may become contaminated In
several ways, and unless we take special
pains to remove this foul air it rapidly &C
cumulates, becomes offensive and is men
ace to health.
The primary condition for ventilation is
that the incoming air shall be pure; 1t
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 a cellar is unfit for continuous
breathing. The sun rarely or never visits
these spots and the wind gets no chance to
sweep through them. Especially bad is
the cellar air, as cellars are apt to be damp,
moldy and dark, and are frequently pol
luted by decaying vegetables and the ash
heap, and currents of air are constantly
passing through them from the soil below.
sothat sewer air from defective drainage in
the neighborhood may easily 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 iulets a number Of things
have to be taken into consideration. The
inlets must be so 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
a high velocity, for if the movement is
greater than two or three feet per second
drafts are experienced, and besides a
slow current is more favorable for uniform
diffusion than rapid one.
lit can De 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
diminish The current if too rapid, and the
flow should Doe directed upward, as there,
meeting the warmer air Of the ceiling, it
mingles with il, 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
than large and single as they are thus less
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 to provide
sufficient fresh air. Hinckes-Bi meth
cd consists OF placing a 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
through which the incoming air freely
passes, and being impelled in an upward
direction it causes no draft.
In Tobins tube the air from outside en-
tiers through a hole in the wall and is con
Quoted by an upright tube into the room
The opening Of the tube il above the head,
of the occupants, and the air escaping as
cends toward the ceiling.
Cooper's vgutilator consists Of a series o
apertures in a window pane arranged in
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 insuGerably hot and close Thes
unpleasant features can to a great exten
be avoided by having a temporary Shering
ham valve, constructed Of wood and can
vas and inserted above the upper sash o
the window, which is lowered for the pur
pose.
The SherinChsm valve consists Of a
opening through the wall for the air t
pass, the entrance being usually guarde
by a strainer of some sort to keep out dust
on the inside is Waived iron plate wit
closed sides aud bin ged at the bottom. A
attachment IS arranged to more or les
completely change it. The entrance Shout
be a little smaller than the'exit, that th
velocity OF the current into the room ma
be diminished It is usually placed mes
the ceiling
Veutilat.ug freplaces are marked in
provemeut~ on the ordinary fireplace
They have all the advantages OF the latte
and in addition they prevent drafts Of col
air by sending into the room air that
partially warmed. Fresh air is admitte
70 the back Of the crate into q chamb,
which is warmed by large heating su
face, aud. being carried mp by "a flue di
charges into the upper part OF the room
There are number of different kinds
sr~uE r-a-sef errar trHrlfara. and vent IIntir