The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-02-07
f + e 5 b A ir

BY H. H. Healy, M. D., Superinten-
dent and Secretary Of the State Board
of Health.
At this season of the year, the
question of fresh air and good venti-
lation is an extremely important one,
especially in a.cold climate like North
Dakota, for the reason that when the
thermometer registers very low, it is
hard to heat a building. 1t is, there
for, necessary to put on storm wind
ows and make the building as tight as
possible. Many put on storm windows
without ventilators. Many more have
ventilators which are entirely too
small to let in a sufficient supply of
fresh air, even if left open all the
time. 1t is calculated that three
thousand cubic feet Of air is required
by each adult person every hour in
order to be in perfect health. The
great majority Of people do not get
anywhere near that amount during the
winter months. Therefor, colds, pneu-
monia, lagrippe, bronchitis and con-
sumption are very prevalent. Many
more emerge in the spring very much
devitalized (run down.)
Crowded rooms should be avoided
unless an abundance of fresh air is
supplied. Under this head come many
churches, theaters and other rooms
for public meetings. I have been I'M
many Of these in which the air became
abominable before the meeting was
over. If one has breathed highly pol
luted atmosphere in a room like this
for some hours he is quite likely to
catch a so-called cold when he leaves
the building. In most instances, these
colds are, in realty, due to dust which
is contaminated by diseae germs which
find Judgement in the upper respira-
tory passages If the individual is in
perfect health'it may do him no harm
but if he receive a severe chill upon
leaving the building, a favorable op-
p%ortunity is given for the disease
germs to multiply and produce q
cold" The same is true of many
other diseases, such as lagrippe, pneu-
monia, tuberculosis, etc.
The sleeping room should be not
only well ventilated, but rather cool.
Our forefathers slept in cold rooms,
perhaps heated a little on going to
bed, or arising in the morning by a
small fire in the CRATE. These fire.
places were excellent ventilators. On
the other hand, the ordinary stove has
very little value, if any, as a ventilat-
or. The ordinary kerosene heater is
an abomination, and should not be
tolerated under any circumstances as
all of the poisonous products of com
bustion are thrown directly into the
atmosphere we breathe. Above all
things, they should never be used in
the sick room. In one instance, [
called upon q patient in a small room
which was heated by a kerosene heat
er. The room was so tightly closed
that I almost staggered upon taking
my first breath Of the atmosphere. The
oxygen of the room a SO nearly ex
hausted that there was just a small
yellow flame, in fact, it, was scarcely
burning. AS soon as the air rushed
into the room, the flame burned up
brightly. The patient in this case was
almost in a stupor, but, strange to
say, did not realize that there was
anything. the matter with the atmos-
phere. Gasoline stoves and even gas
ranges should not be used in the win
e rhine unless provided with a vent
in connection with the chimney for
carrying off products of combustion.
If a proper amount of fresh air was
furnished, and if we did not live in too
warm and close an atmosphere, we
should be just as robust as and more
free from disease in North Dakota
than in any other state in the Union,
for the reason that we do not have
sudden changes of temperature and
atmospheric conditions. Many people
believe that when one has any lung
trouble, they must be protected from
the cold and fresh air. Nothing could
be more erroneous. The fact is that
they need more fresh air than a well.
person. Even cold air is not harmful.
If the individual has pneumonia or
consumption, and a part of the lung
is out of commission, the part which
is we'll must, necessarily, work enough
harder to make up for the part to
which the air does not enter. If, on
top of this, the air is extremely foul,
and loaded with poisons which have
been breathed off, we further embar-
rass the lung and render the chance of
recovery very much less. Most people
now understand that consumption can
be cured by fresh air alone: but to do
this even a we'll yantilate6 room ic not.