Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-06-12
LEGISLATION
WASHS25 MILLION YEAR

That existing ventilation legisla-
ton wastes $2,500.oo0 annually of
Taxpayers money in the United
States, and is not only needlessly ex-
travagant but actually injurious to
the health Of school children, is as
Iaerted b. DR.. G. q. A. WinsIow, pro
lessor Of public health Of the Yale
School Of Medicine and chairman Of
the New York State Ventilation Com
mission. The Commission vas APP
pointed by a former New York Gov
Fernor and supported by the Milbanls
Memorial Fund, Of which Edward w.
Sheldon, president Of the United
States Trust Company, Of New York,
is head.
In New York State alone, 100000
of public funds are foolishlv spent
each year in the operation of school
ventilation systems based on . dis
proven theory, writes DR.. Winslow
in the current number of the Amer
lean School Board Journal, issued to-
day. Mechanical systems Of ventila-
ton based on this theory not only
cost more to build but, once con-
structed, require the wasting of more
millions in operation, says the writer.
The heretofore supposed need In
room ventilation Of allotin9 q mini
mum of thirty cubic feet Of fresh air
per minute to every individual 0ccu-
pant is not borne out by The Com
missions findings. Upon this re-
quirement, known As the carbon
dioxide standard" most modern venti-
lation legislation is based. Introduc-
ed in 1852 by Max Won Pettenkofer
and later adopted by the American
Society of Heating and Ventilating
Engineers, this standard has resulted
in the enactment by twenty states
throughout the country Of laws max
ing mandatory the installation Of ex-
travaeant school ventilation systems,
the article says.
"If this were all,p DR.. Winslow con-
tinues, s'if the harm done by mistak-
en-. theories of ventilation were him
tied to the pocketbook, the matter
might be dismissed as one to be set
tied between public appropriating
bodies and their own consciences.
There is, however, still more fun
damental, and still more serious as
pect of the case"
Ideal room ventilation 1t was
found, is not obtained by pouring in
volume Of warm air, but By pro-
viding a small amount of cool, fresh
air to counteract the occurrence Of .
warm, moist and still atmospheric
condition. With an air supply Of
thirty cubic feet per minute, it is
essential to maintain temperatures
generally over 60 degrees F to avoid
unpleasant drafts, writes DR.. Wins
low. Such a warm atmosphere caus-
es rise in body temperature, an in
creased pulse rate, respiration and
decreased blood pressure, and results
in markedly diminishing ones work
ing efficiency and in seriously in
creasing ones susceptibility to res
piratory diseases.
The Commissions investigators re-
ported that among pupils in class
room ventilated to require the main
tenance Of a high temperature, the
incidence of respiratory sickness was
20 per cent above that among child
rem in two rooms Of lesser temper
allure ventilated by window inlets and
gravity exhausts.
With DR.. Winslow on the Commis-
sion are Dwight d. Kimball, ventilat-
ing engineer of R. D. Kimball & Co.,
New York; DR.. Frederic s. Lee, pro-
fessor of physiology, and DR.. James
Alexander Miller, professor of elm
ical medicine, of the College Of Ply
sicians and Surgeons, New York;
Earle B. Phelps professor of chem
istry, United States Hygiene Lab
oratory, Washington, D. c.; and Ed
ward Lee Thorndike, professor of ed
vocational psychology, Teachers Col
lege, Columbia University.
In addition to Mr.. Sheldon, the Nil
bank Memorial Funds directing board
consists Of Albert G. MiIbank, treas
urer, John A. Kingsbury, secretary,
Elihu Root, John G. Milburn, Thomas
Cochran, of ]. P. Morgan 3 Co.,
GaorOa I, Nichols and mr. Cl1ar1ha