Catoctin clarion., 1897-11-18
Modern Slow Poisoning.


ton. So subtle was their art that they
were able to give deadly poison III sach
infinitesimal doses al to cause their vic.
Tins to fade away. showing no definite
malady, yet defving the efforts Of
pbysicians to bring about their recov.
cry. Something of this Same deadly
work is going on all through civilized
lands, and the prisoners are people who
are unmindful of the fact that impure
air is as sure and as deadly poison as
anything ever wrought by Italian al
chemists.
Each breath is full Of life or of poi.
son. People do not think much about
good air. Men crowd into smoking
cars, close the windows Of seven by nine
rooms at hotels, and forget that they
shut out the greatest life giving force
at their command when they prevent
The pure air of heaven from entering
their homes and their lungs. 1t is only
necessary to call to mind how effective
pure air is for the relief of consumption,
bronchitis and other difficulties, as
shown repeatedly by the experience OF
people who camp out in summer and
fall to gain relief from these troubles to
show that the Importance Of pure air is
not over estimated by even the most
sangulne writers.
The advantage Of camping out is not
on account Of the hardships which are
endured and the diseomforts and pri'
vations which the system will surmount
but it is due to tho fact that the camp.
er cut ,s bathing the system, and filling
the lungs, at every breath, with the
pure air Of the wild woods or Of the
sea.
Realizing this, the civilized man is
endeavoring now to reproduce in his
home some of these favorable air con.
ditions and at the same time to retain
the advantages which he has sought
to gain along other lines. In ages past
he has been in the habit of covering
every aperature with outside as we'll as
inside windows hoping to be economical
in fuel. For the same purpose he has
been heating by steam, con6ning the
air in the house and warming it day
after day, leaving no avenue for venti-
lation. Now he begins to understand
that this is slow suicide. Only recently
man who believed that his house was
too large and inconveniently arranged
tor other methods of heating, and
though direct steam heat necessary put
il in and started his FIRE. In less than
a week every member of his household
was sick, the immediate result Of the
superheated, nonventilated condition Of
his house. His doctor told him as Il
first measure, to open his windows.
In like manner, the method of heat.
ing by the economically run coal stove
was expensive, because with the drafts
closed. more or less Of the gas found its
way into the room and acted as slow
poison on all who were confined within
it.
This was especially hard on the
women and children of the house, who
remain indoors much of the time. That
individual whose occupation was largely
out Of doors was able to resist the evil,
poisonous influence in better degree.
Modern heating has adopted the in.
direct system as the most hygienic, if
not the most economical. This is car.
ried on in many ways. A stack Of
steam pipes may be heated, and the
pure air drawn from outside and carried
over them into the rooms to be warmed.
This ensures not only warm air, but
pure warm air, and in order to get the
heat into the house, sufficient aperatures
must be left to let the old air out, the
result being constant changing, and a
health giving atmosphere within the
house.
The same thing is accomplished by
properly installed and properly run
furnace. A furnace which is not oyer.
heated. which is properly supplied with
pure air from outside, affords for people
of limited means the most advantageous
means of warming house, provided
the expense and trouble of the old.
fashioned open fires is too great to be
assumed. The man who runs a we'll.
constructed furnace in conjunction with
an open FIRE, in one Of his living rooms,
is not spending extravagantlv for fuel.
and he is saving doctors bills for his
family.
This subject is peculiarly interesting
at this season of the year, because al
most everybody is calling upon the
stove and the furnace maker, and the
heating and ventllating arrangements
are receiving their annual overhauling.
It is peculiarly discouraging to find