24 Mr. Mackain on the Ventilation of tJie Glasgow Fever Hospital. 



I2th January^ 1842, — Tlie President in the Chair, 



John Alston, Esq. of Rosemount admitted a member. A communi- 

 cation was read by Jas. TnoMSON, Esq. Jun., On an Lnprovement in 

 the Motive Power of River Navigation, 



2Qth Januan/, 1842, — Mr. Griffin in the Chair, 



George Thorbum, Esq., Jun., admitted a Member. The following 

 communications were then read. 



VII. — On the Ventilation of the Glasgow Fever Hospital, 

 By D. Mackain, Esq., Civil Engineer, 



Mr. Mackain had visited the Glasgow Fever Hospital at the re- 

 quest of the Medical Committee, with the view of examining the means 

 of ventilation which had previously been in use, and which were con- 

 sidered to be insufficient. On examination, he was of opinion that 

 this insufficiency proceeded, in a great measure, from the relative 

 positions of the apertures by which warm air was introduced into the 

 wards, and those by which it was designed that the vitiated air should 

 be withdrawn ; the former being in the corners of the wards, near to 

 the floor ; the latter nearer to the centre of the room, at the ceiling, 

 but in the same partition with the former. 



The result of this arrangement was, that the heated air, on entering 

 the wards, rose towards the aperture of escape in a continuous stream, 

 without mixing with the air in the ward, or communicating its heat. 



As there were no other arrangements for furnishing a supply of fresh 

 air during cold weather, beyond the partial opening of the windows, it 

 appeared probable that the change of position of the mass of air in 

 some parts of the wards, was occasioned solely by the levity of such 

 portions as had acquired heat from the lungs or bodies of the patients. 



From these observations, and from various facts of a medical nature, 

 which the Committee communicated, it became apparent, that a duo 

 ventilation of the Hospital could only be obtained by a thorough dif- 

 fusion of fresh air through the several wards, not in large masses 

 which do not blend with the general atmosphere, but in small jets, on 

 the principle so successfully adopted by Dr. Reid, for ventilating the 

 House of Commons. 



The limited pecuniary means under the control of the Medical Com- 

 mittee required that any alteration to be made on the existing sys- 

 tem of ventilation, should be done at the least expense ; and that tho 

 apparatus then in use should, as far as possible, be made available for 

 the purposes in view, notwithstanding of many serious objections to tho 

 principles of their construction. 



Accordingly, a conduit was carried round two of tho wards, from 

 the aperture heretofore used for introdu ing warm air, and perforated 



