New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-13
COMFORT WITH LESS HEAT,
Proposed Methods Of Regulating Hunida.
Pronounced ImpraeticabI. >
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.


Sir. Comfort with Less Heat, a.
by letter writer In The Tribune o. a.. 49,
ult., was a caption sufficient TO s,,,... -
expectant attention Of many an eeono..,
endesvoring TO lower the cost OF b..a
while the cost OF coal is pyramidirv ~
theory OF the letter is alluring in M 4.
plicity, the report itself Is faultl.u
expression Of a well-winged inagina,io, -.
presumably, Mr.. Manierre is sincere =
reasoning, however, Is faulty and the r.l,..-
humidities mentioned are merely gu.s,,, /,
the dark.
Besides, I have 20 ask: Why Is II prses.,,,
And likewise I would ask: How Is Il w..
ticable?
To the man In the street relative hsn..
is cryptogrsm, although he msy be abb, !.
smell fog or use the term muggy with q.
judgment. Nevertheless, any person whoa.
accurately name the vapor contents Of :,
atmosphere by his own feeling, in the rr.
ter can claim distinction and bronze h,r
In a pathological museum.
In the free air out OF doors the rss,-,
humidity Is ever varying. This humidity
affected by temperature changes, air ,V,
rents and precipitation. Relative humidity
a percentage indicating the amount Of rs.,,
vapor in suspension in certain spse. a
compared with the amount Of water nv,
that same space at that same tempera,ur.
capable OF holding. This latter condition
called saturation, and when II exists the rsl,.
tive humidity Is 100 per cent, and outdoon
Is usually characterized by fog sstustr
can occur at any temperature, but Il rsauiru
greater quantity Of water yspor to be pres.
ent at high temperatures than at low.
The limit Is 100 per cent, and as tsmrn.
lures are lowered some OF the vapor prss,-;
must be disposed OF, and we have condsra.
ton. Now, when II Is cold outside and var
in,ide. moist and "comfy" inside and dry an
brisk outside, how can mortal man regulr,
that willynilly relative humidity either on Tie
inside or the outside? II he heats pan o.
water on a stove or gas plate until the wiz
dovs are streaming with dewdrops he merely
transports the heat Of the stove 70 the glass
panes Of the once transparent but now hartli
translucent windows. And all this suppose
that he has escaped death when he emsrr
from his steamy apartment out into the Dr.
snappy, 15-sbove-zero atmosphere that 80 T.
ten breezes down from the North in our VII.
tiers.
Water vapor has one bad habit that IA
account for much that has been taken e.
granted. Il makes bad air and unrefreshcs
atmospheres taste better. provided the Il.
midity ia not so high that IL feels "stier'
We have diluted the foul odors, the carr
monoxid or the carbon dioKid in so FAR s'oi
senses are concerned. This IL effected bys
fact that the fine particles Of the dust AZ.
gas arc used as nuclei for the yapor 70 CO..
dense on.
A requirement OF the present age issu
ventilated atmosphere for breathing and ".
ing purposes. The "burn water" propsr,
dsts say that you will feel fewer drafts a.
live proportionately longer If you can ia'
rate your rooms with steam and imagine,
tropical jungle. But rid yourself OF ih
delusion. II you wish proof, here's rs
you can make for yourself: Close err
crack in small, nearly alright room ssr
a pan of refined lard or grease boiling si
not BURNING in that room; provide p'rsst
with a breathing tube opening on he 'Ia
air; breathe fresh air while your bsdy ~
ceives coating of liquid-and make out !'T
will. Imagine breathing the same asi'1
pherel
Therefore, let 1t sink into your rssl'a
self that you cannot feel better in rsr
air, even If it were a practicable way Of has
ing our homes to moisten that air Also, r
member that you cannot ventilate your h'-l
with outdoor air of low-vapor content a.:
have your indoor air one of high-yapor CO..
tent unless you use some very expensive b.
midfer. And do not forget that fresh .;
heats faster than stale air.
A set Of hygrometric instruments ant
copy of the psychrometric tables as used 2
scientific observstories and Laboratories voat
make the dreams Of the burn water enihu''
asts vanish into a yapor more tenuous ,hi,
the invisible water vapor of their creed.
New Haven, Conn, Jan. 6, 1917. {. CA