382 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



In badly-constrncted and ill-arranged houses, how often do wc 

 hear the inhabitants complain of what is technically called " draught," 

 which means sudden and irregular change of temperature ! Unpleas- 

 ant as it is in itself, it is most insidious and dangerous in its results, 

 bi-inging about colds, chills, and general " disturbance in the circula- 

 tion of the organs of the body." 



It is unnecessary to dwell further upon the numerous ills which we 

 have it in our power to lessen, or altogether get rid of, by attention 

 to the general construction of the houses we live in. I can only insist 

 generally, with Dr. Richardson, that " the intention and object of do- 

 mestic sanitation is so to construct houses for human beings, or, if the 

 houses be constructed, so to improve them, that the various diseases 

 and ailments incident to bad construction may be removed to the full- 

 est possible extent. The diseases need not be looked upon as necessi- 

 ties of existence, but may be recognized as results of ignorance, or as 

 accidents which, though they may not spring from sheer and wanton 

 ignorance, are removable by accurate foreseeing and all-pro vidino- 

 knowledge." 



In towns, where, for the most part, all houses are built in groups, 

 either in streets, terraces, or squares, and rarely detached, the general 

 aspect is naturally fixed by the location of the building, and the laying 

 out of the street or terrace of which the particular house already forms 

 or is to form a part ; and, therefore, it is of the utmost importance as 

 far as possible to secure as much light and sun as can be obtained by 

 the slightly varied aspect which is given by semi-octagonal or circular- 

 projecting windows with side-lights, more especially where the plot- 

 ting of the site lies more or less due north and south. 



Nothing can be more miserable and unartistic, nothing more insult- 

 ing to good taste, than the dreary monotony and vulgarity of most 

 Loudon streets, old and new. How much more artistic and pictur- 

 esque could our streets be made if broken up with bays and gables, 

 cutting up the sky-line, like the streets in many of the old towns in 

 Germany and Belgium ; and how much more cheerful and healthy 

 would be the rooms wherein these bays are thrown out, and through 

 which sun, air, and light can be obtained in more ample quantity, than 

 by means of the two or three parallelogram -shaped openings which 

 generally form the windows in most London fronts ! Anyway, there 

 is an old adage, which is more or less true, that, " where the sun does 

 not enter, sickness in some sort or way is sure to obtain." We do not 

 get too much sun in smoke-covered towns ; and surely every possible 

 allowance, consistent of course with what is due to the comfort and 

 enjoyment of our neighbors, should be made for flat-sided projections, 

 by which more sun and light can be given to our homes. 



Fancy being on the south side of a street, where the windows face 

 due north, and into which, for nearly the whole of the year, the sun 

 can never shine, save very occasionally in thin, slantwise streaks. Were 



