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sulphur, and some kinds so largely as frequently to cause spon- 

 taneous combustion, especially in ships. Now, sulphur, in 

 all its forms of fumes or gas, is hurtful to life, and particu- 

 larly so, when, by burning in the open air, it is converted 

 into sulphurous acid. It is a common custom, too, to 

 smoulder fires by pouring water over them, whereby sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen, known by its smell of rotten eggs, is 

 formed — a familiar evidence of which also occurs when a fluid 

 in a pot boils over into the fire, — and to destroy this 

 combination of sulphur in nuisances of ordure and stag- 

 nant sewerage much of sanitary effort is directed. In the 

 pyrites of coarse coal, even a more pernicious formation is 

 presented, for here it is often combined with arsenic; and 

 wherever this poison is volatilized and breathed, in even the 

 smallest degree, the health must be impaired. That sulphur 

 more or less abounds in dwelling-houses is evident, from its 

 effect upon some metals, especially silver plate, which it is 

 well known tarnishes by the state of our atmosphere in a 

 way seen in no other country ; and the difficulty of keep- 

 ing them bright depends on the size of our towns and the 

 quantity and quality of coals consumed around. 



All must agree a smoky atmosphere is more or less 

 prejudicial to health and comfort ; it woidd therefore be 

 well were town surveyors empowered to enforce the proper 

 construction of chimneys, and an action at common law 

 should lie equally against a landlord for a smoky chimney, 

 where it is incurable from malformation, as for any other 

 nuisance. It might be said, people should not take a 

 smoky house, but who ever heard of a landlord letting 

 one? and, when once engaged, the tenant is usually fixed 

 for a year certain. The wisdom of the legislature in doing 

 away with climbing boys cannot be denied, but by it much 

 unintentional discomfort and affliction has been entailed on 

 the community; for it is notorious the modern method of 

 swooping chimneys by machinery is not so effective, and many 



