1884.] QUESTIONS. 147 



moisture in the room. There are plants in the room, and I 

 think it is an advantage to them. 



Dr. BowEN. There are a number of stoves that give good 

 lieat, and that are cosy and attractive in appearance. If you 

 use coal, tliere are numbers of 'those that are exceedingly 

 attractive, and almost as pleasant as the old-fashioned fire- 

 place. Have you ever noticed liow pleasant it is to go into a 

 room where plants are growing? It is the moist atmosphere 

 from which the oxygen is not entirely burned out, that ren- 

 ders them so attractive, and makes them so luxuriant. 

 Whenever plants will grow luxuriantly in winter, there you 

 will find a pleasant atmosphere to breathe. You will notice 

 that the atmosphere of the kitchen is almost always more 

 pleasant than that of the sitting room. That is because theie 

 is water on tiie stove : the kettles are boiling almost continu- 

 ally, which renders the air soft and mild. 



Question. Tell us about grates in a sitting room. 



Dr. Bowen. They are something like the old-fashioned fire- 

 place — after the same pattern ; perform the same office. 



Question. Are plants growing in a room conducive to 

 health, or otherwise? 



Dr. BowEN. There is a general opinion, that as soon as a 

 person becomes ill, you must take out every plant that is 

 growing in the room — banish it as you would the disease 

 itself, if you could. I have often wondered a little that this 

 should be so. When you consider that in summer our win- 

 dows are open, the air is laden with the perfume of flowers, 

 leaves are all budding and performing their functions, — we 

 never move away from the climate and go north when the 

 leaves appear, — I do not see why we should banish plants 

 from the sick room. Any plant, however, which has a heavy 

 perfume is perhaps objectionable ; but there is no objection to 

 a growing plant ; on the contrary, I should say that it would 

 be a benefit. If you consider that the office of the leaves of 

 plants is to absorb carbonic acid gas, which is exhaled from 

 the lungs, you will see that a plant is rather a purifier than 

 otherwise. (Applause. ) 



