The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-03-18
HOUSE VENTILATION.

DR.. Howard Van Rensselaer,, of
Albany, has written an essay on
"Impure Air and Ventilation Of Pri
vate Dwellings, that was awarded a
prize by the New York State Medi-
cal Association Here are some
extracts from DR.. Van Rensselaer's
article:
Were people killed outright by
foul air, its dangers would be care
fully guarded against, but its effects
are slow and insidicus, and often
ascribe ! tc ther causes We are
careless of its results because, as its
effect at any one time is Slight, we
grow accustomed to it and disregard
its risks, aGd after being in its pre-
sence a few minutes our senses
become dulled aud do not warn US
of the danger.
But while the immediate effects
seem trifiing. yet it is true that any
prolonged vitiation of the source OF
supply interferes with the proper
" orking of our ORGANIZATIONS and
depresses our vital functions. Sta
tisticians have shown that OF the
Causes of mortality the most impor-
tant and farthest reaching is impure
air.
We keep our windows closed
great part of the year-during the
winter to keep out the cold and in
the heated term in summer to ex-
clude the heat-so that the circula-
ton and renewal of air in our houses
are at these times slight. The
incoming air introduced for ventila-
ton may be vitiated or not, accord
ing to our surroundings; but once
in, it may be contaminated in several
ways, and unless we take special
pains to remove this foul air it
rapidly accumulates, becomes often
sive and is menace to health.
The primary condition for venti-
lation is 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 a cellar is unfit for con
tinuous breathing. The sun rarely
or never visits these spots and the
wind gets no chance to sweep
through them. Especially bad is
cellar air, as cellars are apt to be
damp, mouldy and dark, and are
frequently polluted by decaying
vegetables and the ash heap, and
currents of air are constantly pass
ing through them from the soil
below, so that sewer air from detec
tive drainage in the neighborhood
may easily enter and be sucked
through the house. This danger is
particularly great if the house is
| heated by a furnace whose wooden
air box passes through the cellar.
In providing inlets a number of
things have to be taken into con-
sideration. 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
thar sufficient incoming air is OBJ
tanned without high velocity, for if
the movement is greater than two or
three feet per second drafts are
experienced, and besides slow cur
rent is more favorable for uniform
diffusion than rapid one.
If il 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
if the incoming air is cooler than the
temperature OF the room it chills the
feet. The place OF admittance oi
cool air should be above the heads
of the occupants, and means should
be taken to diminish the current il
too rapid, and the flow should be
directed upward, as there, meeting
the warmer air of the ceiling, il
becomes warmer and gradually
spreads through the room. The
external openings Of the inlets should
give air in place where the air is
uncontaminated. They should be
numerous and small, rather thar
large and single, as they are thus
less liable to cause drafts.
When the conditions are sucl
that the window cannot be freely
opened, it can be arranged in one o
several ways to provide sufficlen
fresh air. Hinckes Birds methoc
consists of placing movable BLOCK
of wood under the entire length q
the lower window sash, tf .qtt
! the top of the lower vocHt Il
above the bottom of RI i
RS