The Princeton union., 1910-09-01
FRESH AIR APOSTLE IS CHCAGOS SAVIOR J

~ OlIIUlluU y UluIUn 2
o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o4,
cities had made great progress in sub.
DUNG tuberculosis. In Chicago the
progress was almost inappreciable.
pneumonia was on the increase.
More people were dying Of this than
OF any other disease. In Chicago fifty
years ago pneumonia ranked eighth as
the most frequent cause of death. By
1907 it was first in rank.
Forced Air In Cars.
DR.. Evans first directed his atten-
ton to the street cars. He approached
the railroad companies and suggested
changes. In all attempts to ventilate
street cars he insisted on the reogni-
ton of two fundamental principles
some apparatus must be contrived to
force the used up warm air out at
the top of the car and the fresh, cold
air must be introduced at the bottom.
Dr. Evans explained all this to the
railroad companies, but they did not
readily see the point. He then prompt-
~ brought suits, but he did not have
to push them far, for as soon as they
saw that the health commissioner
meant business the corporations
agreed to ventilate the cars.
In the roofs of these cars are ex-
haust appliances which mechanically
suck out the used up air in the floors,
ana under the seats are large intakes
into which the outside air constantly
pours and after passing over the steam
coils rises into the breathing zone. On
the coldest days, when the doors and
windows are shut tight and when the
cars are packed, every passenger has
an allotment Of 400 cubic feet of out-
side air an hour.
linen DR.. Evans tackled the schools.
went through them and found an as
tonlshlng percentage of backward pu-
plls. The thing most responsible for
thelr backwardness was hot, dry air.
All air fit for the sustenance of hu-
man beings contains a large percent
age Of water vapor.
The Chicago schools and the public
/ SCHOOLS In nearly all American cities
took this humid air from outdoors and
neated It until nearly all the water
was squeezed out. The school rooms
were thus filled with air the relative
humidity of which was only 1S, where
as natures own air contains about Y.
The child subjected to such an atmos-
phere for any length Of time becomes
kiln dried and untitled to perform the
usual functions of his body. to saw
nothing Of his mind.
AS result of this agitation the Chi
cago educational system has originat-
ed a new verb, ito humidity" The
meaning Is simple. All hot air before
entering the school room is passed
through jets of water or Of steam. It
now picks up its moisture in ..humidi-
Tying" chambers in the basement in
stead of in the throats and nasal pas
sages of the children and teachers
Made Bakeries Sanitary.
DR.. Evans took hold of the under
ground bakeries and insanitary kitch-
ems, even invading the first class no.
tels and restaurants. The latter fought
MIN and succeeded in getting the law
under which he was working declared
unconstitutional. But after a years
struggle DR.. Evans has obtained a new
ordinance giving him power to close
any bakery having improper lighting.
ventilation or general sanitation.
Next he paid his respects to the
nickel theaters. Chicago already had
devoted some ordinances to the moral
Side OF the moving picture show. AS
result of his demand that the 700 or
SO0 theaters of this sort in Chicago
should be adequately ventilated-and
the doctor specifies what he means by
Adequately" is now plenty of
breathable air in these places. Laws
nave been passed recently for the ven
tilation of department stores, facto-
ries, mills, workshops and other estab-
lishments of like character.
But the most pressing need is to
reach the people in their homes. There
IS no law requiring the people to open
their windows, to sleep out Of doors,
to let gale blow through their living
rooms several times a day. The only
possible recourse was an appeal to
public opinion. With this idea DR..
Evans became an agitator. a spell
binder for fresh air. He went active
~ upon the stump, preaching this new
evangel from many platforms.
Great Health Advertiser.
1t is almost impossible for the peo-
pie of Chicago, however much they
try, to escape DR.. Evans advice. The
subject is forced upon their attention
everywhere. If they go to church, to
their lodge, to the theater, they are
pretty likely to hear it. In nearly
every trolley and elevated car in Chi
cago warning placards appear: dirty
air is DEATH" Fresh air prevents
consumption and pneumonia" "Ven-
tilate all the time, winter and summer.
day and night" '"Too much fresh air
g.