The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-03-12
MAKING CHURCHES SANITARY


An Italian bishop once sent out to
the priests of his diocese the follow
ing circular:
I. In all churches, Immediately
after feast-days on which there have
been very large congregations, the
floors must be disinfected by means of
wood sawdust soaked in one-tenth
per cent. solution of corrosive subli-
mate. On ordinary days they must
be frequently swept, after sprinkling
them with water so as to raise no
dust.
2. Every week, and even oftener,
the pews and confessionals must be
cleaned with sponges and cloths moist
ened with pure water.
8. Every week, and oftener, if
necessary, the grills of the confession
ais are to be washed and polished.
q. The holy water receptacIes
must be emptied every week, or often
er if necessary, and washed with hot
water or solution of corrosive SUBJ
Innate. "
That was a wise bishop who sent
out the above order. But we would
like to add one more item to it, name
ly: That after every service the
church windows and doors shall be
thrown wide open and the pure,
fresh, outdoor air allowed to sweep
through and through it, thoroughly
cleansing it of the poisonous air and
filling it with pure oxygen.
A church may become very death
trap for a congregation if it is not
properly ventilated. The air becomes
vitiated and filled with the carbonic
acid gas breathed out by the many
people. Then the congregation goes
home, the church is closed, and the
impure and polluted air is allowed to
remain in the church throughout the
week.
The next time the people assemble
they must re-breathed the same old,
dead air. If it is in the winter time
the air has been heated, making it
that much worse. The windows are
all closed. The people come in from
the outdoor air and sit down to breathe
this stuffy atmosphere. They become
drowsy and fdgety and nervous.
Their heads begin to ache. They
don't know what's the matter with
them. They never think of opening
a window and letting in some fresh
air.
When they go out into the winter
air again they take cold. They have
tonsilitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and
they lay the foundation for consump-
ton. All because the church had
not been ventilated.
If you go to church or have any
thing to do with a church, let your
voice be heard in this matter. Insist
upon it that the church be aired thor
oughly after every service, and that
dNEHg dNgas fESss thsEs hpsfE5sSiadeed
you are preacher, preach to your
people the gospel of fresh. air. Pro-
vide them with air and they will not
go to sleep while you are talking.
Drive home to them the sin of pol
luting their lungs with poisonous air.
Impress upon them the sacredness of
the body and the harmfulness of con-
taminating it with the unclean air of
an unventilated church. Never talk
to them about saving their souls while
their lungs are being poisoned by
foul air.
See that your church is swept and
cleaned and busted, that the life-giv;
ing oxygen is allowed to play through
every corner of it, that the health and
comfort of the congregation is assur-
ed-this will constitute a more last
ing benefit than all the prayer and
song service that could be uttered in
close. stuffy, unventilated ROOM
l1edicaI Talk.