Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-23

That lack of knowledge OF physical
science is one of the greatest hindrances
to the advance of our civilization IS
shown by the manner in which house
holders ventilate their homes in the
south. To how many does the WORD
ventilation possess any real meaning
vague notion that a window opened
anyhow and anywhere. or a ventilator
of which the construction and mode OF
action are totally unknown. Will in some
mysterious manner ventilate the apart
ment. sums up the average person IDEAS
on the subject. whereas the procedure
involved in changing the air of an apart
ment depends upon laws for ignorance OF
which there is no excuse, on account OF
their simplicity.
This IS the problem-to remove from
an apartment the gases which come from
its inha btants and from the flames OF
active combustion or gas. candles and
kerosene lamps.
Shown by Experiment.
Though We cannot see the products. a
simple experiment. shows their behavior.
Obtain a toy balloon: fill it with air from
the flame of candle or from the lungs
by blowing into it, Ii will ascend to the
roof. After period it will descend.
Why is this? Its contents are the same.
Because the air from the lungs or cam
die is lighter than the air in the room.
Heat makes substances less dense-that
is, less heavy. Gases when lighter than
those surrounding them ascend, just as
a cork will ascend to the surface when
placed in water The balloon falls again,
because its contained gases are. when
cooled to the temperature of the room.
heavier than those of the atmosphere.
1t contains carbon dioxide. This gas
from the burning candle and the breath
ing animal is the substance which we
wish to Danish from our houses by
ventilation. 1t is obvious that ii should
be removed before it has an opportunity
to cool and mix with the pure air. There
fore. it should be removed Immediately
1T ascends by an opening at the top of
the apartment. Upon this principle the
laws of ventilation depend.
Defective ventilation is the chief cause
of consumption. The consumptive death
rate is much greater in southern cities
than those in the north. This appears a
paradox: because SouthernerS may live
with open windows all the year around.
But it is exceedingly rare to find the win
dow opened save at the bottom. A breeze
passes from the opening. cooling the in
mates bodies, but a constant stream of
polluted air is descending from the roof
and mixing with the pure air from the
window. SO that inmates are breathing a
contaminated atmosphere while under the
impression that they are living i'm the
purest of air.
Differences Pointed Out.
Goodness and ventilation are not tie
same thing, although the air brought into
our houses to ventilate them is generally
cooler than the impure air in the room
The air of a church or a vault is gen.
orally, though COOL exceedingly impure
while the hot air of the desert is OF
highest purity.
In the majority of families nightfaI
is signal Of closing all windows, how
ever few. which have been open. A
vague fear of night air. relic Of the days
curity in the cave or rude hut could
be gained only by barring every opening
is the cause of this. AS a matter of fact
the air Of cities is at its purest in the
night. There is less traffic. which means
less dust: factory furnaces are less ac.
tive: gas lights less numerous as the
night progresses: the suns moisture
drawing power is no longer eXerted sc
that the blanket of moisture which pre-
vents the diffusion of sulphur fumes
SCOT and dust is absent.
But. most important OF all, each gas je,
in an apartment consumes five times as
much oxygen as one individual in the
same time. so that instead of the VIM
be open more widely to let out the gas