Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-02-13
The Necessity of Fresh Air
in our Households.

work of supererogation. For such mas
culine minds however, who still hold to
the belief that fresh air and warmth, IN
the living rooms are uncomfortable, a
few facts may be convincing if not con,
verting. AS every schoolboy knows,
oxygen is necessary to respiration, and
is constantly taken into the lungs from
the atmosphere in the process of breath
ing at the rate of 366 cubic inches per
minute. Oxygen, by the chemical ac-
ton involved in the process Of respira,
ton passes from free state into COM
bination with other substances, and
thereby becomes untitled for the further
support of animal life. IF a bird be
confined in limited portion of atmos-
pheric air, it will at first feel no incon-
venience; but as portion of oxygen is
withdrawn from free state with each
inspiration, its quantity diminlshes rap,
IDLY, 50 that respiration soon becomes
laborious, and in short time ceases
altogether. Calbonic acid, which exists
in the atmosphere in intinteslmal guam
titles is irresplrable in its pure state,
producing the moment, it is inhaled,
spasm Of the CLOTHS, which closes at
once the air passages of the lungs.
Carbonic acid is produced abundantly
by all the processes of combustion, by
respiration, fermentation, and By the
decay of animal and vegetable products.
The inference from these facts would
seem irresistible, that the atmosphere
of an ordinary sized room III which two,
four, six or eight persons are constantly
absorbing oxygen and giving out car
bon, needs frequent renewal Of tie
former, by the free admission of fresh
air. If to the production of carbonlc
acid BY respiration is added that given
out by coal stoves, and that is mixed
with the odors Of cooking and the fumes
of tobacco smoke, it seems the sum to-
tai would be Il combination entirely
unfit TO be taken into the lungs and
distributed through the body. And
yet many people seem to dread fresh
air as they do the enemy of their souls.
Not only is pure air necessary in the
homes, but in all places Of public as.
sembly. Who of us have not drawn
long breath of relief and unconscionsly
taken in supply Of oxygen, when
emerging from a close, hot church,
sunday school or lecture room. Put a
children into a room, hermeti-
calIy seal it, as fur as fresh air is con.
cerned, and keep them there for an
hour and half. Is it any wonder that
the little bodies become uncomfortabl
aud restless and the minds sluggish and
A young minister was told
Ivy an older brother, never to mistake
for inspiration. There is
more conducive to the former
and fatal to the latter than an atmos-
phere from which the proper c1nst!tu-
ents have been removed.
If any further proof were wanting Of
the benefit of fresh air in the households
and Of much out OF door exercise, 1T Can
be found by glance at the physical
charact eristics of different nations
Take the Esqulmaux, who spend many
months of the year in close underground
huts, with only hole in the top to let
out tie smoke, and inhabited by sixty
or hundred persons. We find them
race of understood people, to say nothing
of their mental and moral degradation.
The Chinese and Japanese furnish
similar example OF physical degeneracy.
On The other hand, the hardy Norsemen,
whose vikings sailed the seas, who spent
much time in the open air and whose
spacious nails were open to the invlgor'
ating atmosphere of the northern lati.
,udes, we find them nation marked by
unusual physical beauty and develop
ment. The North American Indian
whose wampum hut, was not built to
exclude the air, and whose life of hunt
ng and warfare gave ample out Of door
exercise, is splendidIy developed spec.
men of manhood, or was until the
vices of civilization produced their
effect upon him.
Matthew Arnold has become famous
~ his gospel Of sweetness and light ;
8 not that of fresh air and exercise
'qually important if lacking the nov
lily? Taking the liberty of paraphras-
ng Patrick Henry's famous words, is
warmth so necessary or domestic har-