io6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



that much of the intemperate drinking in towns results from 

 the depressed feeling which follows work done under similar 

 conditions. We think a great society should be formed to arouse 

 the interest of all classes in this subject, and that inquiries 

 should be made the answers being published as to the pro- 

 vision for fresh air existing in hotels, concert-rooms, theatres, 

 schools, churches, etc. We are, both of us, opposed to action 

 being taken through state inspectors. The present evil will 

 never be really overcome until individual interest is aroused; 

 and the state inspector does not develop individual interest. 

 We shall be glad to communicate with any persons anxious 

 to take steps in the matter, and shall hope to draw up a short ! 

 paper containing a few practical suggestions of a simple nature. 

 Meanwhile, without discussing systems of artificial ventilation, 

 we say to everybody : " Live as much as you can with open win- 

 dows, wearing whatever extra clothes are necessary. In this way 

 you will turn the hours of your work to physical profit instead of 

 to physical loss. If you can not bear an open window, even with 

 an extra coat, and a rug over your knees, when you are sitting in 

 a room, do the next best thing, which is, to throw the windows 

 wide open not a poor six inches whenever you leave it, and 

 thus get rid of the taint of the many dead bodies that we have 

 breathed out from ourselves, and that hang like ghosts about 

 our rooms. Smuts, as we confess, may be bad, but they are 

 white as snow compared with impure air. Pay special atten- 

 tion to the constant exposure to pure air both of clothes and 

 of bedding. Avoid chill, that is one form of poisoning. Avoid 

 impure air, that is another and much more insidious form of 

 poisoning." 



Our present addresses are : Harold Wager, Yorkshire College, 

 Leeds ; and Auberon Herbert, Larichban, Cladich, Argyllshire. 



Several gentlemen have been kind enough to read the forego- 

 ing paper, and to express the following opinions upon it. Sir 

 Lyon Playf air writes : 



I return your proof with only a few suggestions. The paper is a good expo- 

 sition of air in its relations to public health, and. is likely to he very useful. You 

 ought to follow it up with another paper on water, and conclude with one on 

 cleanliness. Pure air, pure water, and cleanliness, personal and objective, are the 

 three great factors of public health, provided that people are adequately fed. Na- 

 poleon, reciting his long personal experiences at St. Flelena, made a wise remark: 

 " Life is a fortress which neither you nor I know anything about. "Why throw 

 obstacles in the way of its defense? Water, air, and cleanliness are the chief arti- 

 cles in my pharmacopoeia." You and Mr. Wager have made an excellent begin- 

 ning with air. Follow it up with essays on water and cleanliness, and then, as 

 a veteran sanitary reformer, I will begin to think that my time for preaching is 

 ended. T write this, withholding my judgment on certain special theories yon 

 have advanced. 



