The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-03
THE FRESH AIR QUESTION
Homes Insufflciently Ventilated and
Usually Overheated.

| The Herald IS recent editorial on the
Prevention Of the Common ColdD
has provoked such a wide discussion by
various correspondents as to leave no
doubt regarding the Importance Of the
subject to all parties concerned.
All phases Of the question have been
presented, principally those referring to
cold bathing, going without overcoats
and shlvering in bed with open win
dows.
| Naturally there are men and women
| or different minds when individual
| adaptation to various environments is
| TO be considered.
While there can be nothing said
against the principle of cultivated
| hardlhood, still each individual has his
| limitation of possibilities in such a di-
rectlor. Not everyone can take n cold
| bath or sleep in a draught, no matter
how beneficial they may be said to be.
Some tough chaps can break the ice
in river and return from the plunge
with a healthy glow but the majority
of mankind following such examples
would soon take to the ice in alto
gether another shape as a fitting object
| lesson TO surviving relatives.
In NIL discussions of the utility and
| expediency it is the extremes of ven
tilation we must necessarily avoid. No
one, for instance. can have too much
fresh air night and day, provided he
avoids direct draughts, 1t is the ques.
tlon only how much each needs and can
safely use. The man who can hold a
pint cannot be expected to digest
! quart.
But fresh air is not necessarily a
freezing atmosphere. We are plainly
| reasonable in this view in making our
selves comfortable within doors even
without overcoats. On the other hand
! there is no doubt that our homes are
very insufliciently ventilated and be-
sides very much overheated.
1t is the stuffy and baked air of our
living and bedrooms that not only In
duces the debility that invites disease
and that propagates contagion, but in
most direct way causes the numerous
We drive our house furnaces and at
the same time choke the draughts Of
our own internal fires.
The remedy consists in beginning at
the right end, sensibly and determin-
ately, by new system of fresh air
education. BY reasonable methods we
can gradually inure ourselves against
cold in almost any degree and by pro-
per ventilation can thus stimulate our
resisting qualities. The more we dis
creetly and gradually exercise this re-
sistance the surer, in the long run, will
We get the better Of the intrmtes and
weakness which are the special penal
ties of the neglect of nature s cardinal
law.
But while we are getting strong in
such respects we must be reminded TO
keep reasonably comfortable in so do
ing.
If we wish to cultivate the cold bath
habit we must commence IN the warmer
months and feel our way along during
the, freezing season.
So in the matter of open windows We
meet lower temperatures by more or
less bed covering rather than shut out
the pure and life.giving air, 1t is the
body as whole that needs necessary
protection. not so much the lungs The
coldest air is warmed rs soon as it is
inspired, Even patients with pneu-
monja can breathe il with benefit, and
tuberculosis is cured in a zero tempera-
ture.
For feeble persons the compromise
consists IN thoroughly airing the apart
ments when empty. and when they are
closed again in suitably warming the
fresh air for healthy breathing pur.
poses. The open window habit can
thus be cultivated with safety to ALL
OF course, tho more confirmed the habit
the better. During the coolest nights
1T is merely n question of sufficient
covering Even the "shivercr' would
thus keep warm If he had blankets
enough to prevent him from kicking
and could keep his chin sufficiently
above the high tide of his piled over
spreads to prevent him from smother
ing.-New York Herald.