The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-11-13
FOR FRESH AIR.
Why Windows Should Be Kept Open at
Night.

+, Night
/ But generation ago ventilation as
a factor in the treatment of disease
was a point hardly ever considered, and,
indeed, TO have ordered fresh air through
the medium of widely opened windows
would In such maiadies as phthisis have
almost laid one under criminal charge
OF eonniving at death.
! Fortunately, a great change has come
about IN medical opinion on these mat
ters, and nowadays efficient ventilation
Is insured with quite mathematical pre-
cision, and fresh air Is considered the
first factor in all varieties Of treatment.
| We know now, not only from practical
experience, but from meteorological
garmicides- and 50 the greatest factors
in combating and preventing germ dis
eases~afe sunlight and fresh air.
II Is, however, the wish OF the writer
to point out that the principles which
! underlie this treatment may yet per-
haps play more important role than
as a cure for consumption, and that is,
in its prevention.
| The open air principles Of treatment
IN their essence are simply these: That
instead OF using artificial methods as
drugs 70 stimulate and strengthen the
tissue vitality Of the body in its never
eeasing war against malevolent germs,
we should make use to the fullest ex-
tent OF natural force to achieve this pur-
pose, with far more lasting result
II, then, these measures are eiiicacious
when disease has got hold, the ques-
tion that occurs TO ones mind Is, Why
not adopt them as methods Of prevention
IN healthy That prevention is better
than cure il perhaps a timeworn maxim,
but in no instance could it point a
better moral than In this. In fact, to
borrow In part q political phrase, our
policy should be one Of "the open win
dow
To illustrate the fact how, even now
adays, when so much stress is laid on
/ the Importance of constant fresh air,
people yet seem to prefer to breathe
over and over again the self-polIuted at.
lmosphere, one has but 10 walk not only
in the siums. where ignorance might
be some excuse, but In the suburbs as
well, Of any large city, and note the
closely shut windows, or, even when
holder spirits do have couple OF inches
down at the top, to note the blinds
checking any free outlet or inlet. In
order to readily appreciate the foulness
Of any bedroom under these conditions
one has only to 60 out into the fresh
air for few minutes, and then return
to the room where seven or eight hours
hive been passed, and the almost un.
bearable closeuess 10 which the long
hours have made as accustomed will then
be readily appreciated.
1t Is one of the Inconsistencies ia life
which cannot at first sight be explained
that people who seem 70 find long con.
fnement in one room during the day al
most unbearable are yet content 10 spend
eight or nine hours at night under SINH
lar conditions without demur, This toll
Grafton Is due perhaps mainly to two
factors firstly, that u Initiated afmo.
sphere seldom gives rise I'd actual dis.
comfort, and even when it docs, such dis.
comforts rs headache and langour Bre
attributed to other causes, secondly, TO
the idea that around the cracks OF the
doors and windows quite sufficient in
terchange of ventilation does 10 on
through these means, but, as compared
with the pollution Of the air In an aver.
/ age sized bedroom, 1t il negligible
! quantity.
Tho Importance Of abundant fresh air
at night can best be brought home to
one BIZ considering few OF the factors
which contribute to such malady as
tubercHIar disease of the lungs. As re-
CARDS its cause and onset one may re-
mark that here, as elsewhere in nature
soil and seed are the essential factors
Tor termination and growth. In disease
these two factors are always operating
They are called, in medical parlance,
"predisposings and exciting causes.
This explained in common terms means
that the first named factor prepares,
SO 60 speak, the soil and surroundings
for the second, the seed or exciting
cause, to gerrninate and grow IN. The
seed which falls on stony ground withers
and dies. but that which aiights on suit
able soil lives 10 reproduce its kind.
The human body Is a yertitable grow
inc ground TOR microbes, some OF them
hencheent, some Of them malinn. To
cope with the latter, specialized cells
scattered throughout the tissues make
lneyer-ceasinx war on them. These cells
are the guardians Of oar health, and in
order for them adequately to fulRl these
+Af AANtA AttttttA4t VI IN #Ntt
that only free access to fresh air can
give. Microbes coming IN contact with
these special cells or leucocytes share
the fate q the seed that fell gu stony
ground.
Now. in order TO cope successfully
with this perpetual warfare. and to
check and keep down the increase al
microbes in the system. II i plainly
essential that the vitality al these cells
should BE- maintained. and this can only
ho achieved By constant supply 81
fresh oxygen through the lungs aud suf
fcicnt nutrition through the aIimentary
tract,
/ Oar natural sense of taste Il such that
Nc are, generally speaking. able 10 Sc
lect or reject that which i useful for
/ feed nutrition. Not so with respiration,
except with those few who arr able 10
detect Immediately air that Is not fresh
@ suitable for respiring. 1t Is here in
this instance, then, the great damage is
done, and the persons who. through q
nights rest of eight or nine hours Aura-
tlon, or third Of a day. breathe.
through lack Of ventilation, the same air
over and over again, could not do them