HOME HYGIENE. 



the construction of the average dwelling, ven- 

 tilation is absolutely neglected. It is even 

 worse than if left to the care of Heaven, for, 

 in that event, the vitiated air from the exhala- 

 tions of the body, the coal-gas, and the sewer- 

 air, would be largely diluted, if not blown 

 away by the surrounding winds. But human 

 ingenuity has been taxed to its utmost not 

 only to keep in the house all the gases pro- 

 duced, but to actually increase their produc- 

 tion. As a consequence, we witness the fact 

 that no provision is made for the ventilation 

 of bedchambers and living-rooms, except in 

 occasional instances. Bath-rooms, clothes- 

 closets, and the like, are rarely ventilated. 



It is proper to mention in this place the ne- 

 cessity for ventilation of closets wherein wear- 

 ing-apparel is kept. In the section on baths 

 and bathing, mention was made of the func- 

 tions of the skin as an excretory organ, and 

 the vast amount of matters exhaled during the 

 course of twenty-four hours. It is apparent, 

 therefore, that the clothing worn must be more 

 or less saturated with these exhalations, which, 

 if not properly exposed to air-currents, take on 

 fermentative action ; and bacteria, fungi, and 

 fermentative products result which, when in- 

 haled, are highly deleterious. It is within the 

 experience of almost every one that clothing 

 packed away in a trunk, chest, or other close 

 receptacle, on being brought to the air after 

 confinement of a greater or less period, throws 

 off a strong, musty odor ; this may be almost 

 entirely prevented by thorough exposure to the 

 air, and, whenever practicable, to the sunlight. 

 Closets, therefore, in the place of being dun- 

 geons, in the darkest portions of the house, 

 should be well lighted, by a skylight whenever 

 practicable, and thoroughly exposed to a cur- 

 rent of air. This practice not only adds to the 

 comfort of persons afterward wearing the cloth- 

 ing, but it prevents the entrance into the room 



FIG. 4. FORMS OP COWLS. (Dr. F. H. Brown.) 



plished by some one of the various cowls con- 

 structed to turn in each case to leeward. When 

 the cowl is turned in this way, an aspiration- cur- 

 rent is produced. 



7. Bath-rooms. In America at the present 

 day the bath-room is the neglected room of the 



adjacent to the closet of stagnant air from it. 

 There are various means of ventilating these 

 closets ; the most practicable is that by means 

 of an air-shaft communicating directly with the 

 outside of the building. Where the building 

 is heated by a furnace, a register may be placed 

 in the closet, with an opening near the ceiling 

 for the exit of the heated air. This plan is, per- 

 haps, the best that can be devised. 



In providing for the ventilation of bedcham- 

 bers and other rooms in the dwelling, if the 

 fireplace, or Franklin or ventilating stove, 

 used, other exit for the air will be unnecesss 

 except at the upper opening in the chimney- 

 flue, and that through the fire ; but, in case tl 

 householder decides to heat by means of 

 stove, openings for the exit of the heated 

 vitiated air will be necessary. It is a moot 

 point whether in cases of this kind the open- 

 ings should be near the ceiling or near the floor, 

 some holding that the better means of remov- 

 ing the vitiated air, especially that charged with 

 carbon dioxide, is at the bottom of the room, 

 and, as the air which is heated ascends to- 

 ward the ceiling, as it cools it falls again to the 

 floor, when that portion of the air nearest the 

 exit of the shaft may be withdrawn. On the 

 other hand, if the opening be near the ceiling, 

 the current is continuous and is always in the 

 same direction, depending for its velocity upon 

 the amount of heat thrown out in the room. 

 This method, therefore, will usually be foui 

 that most practicable and the best. Opeiiii _ 

 for the exit of air from a room should commu- 

 nicate with the outside of the building, usually 

 to the roof, and if placed near a heated chii 

 ney (they are sometimes placed in it) the vt 

 locity of the current will be considerably in- 

 creased. As, in the construction of a chimney, 

 it is necessary to adopt means to prevent dowi 

 ward currents, it is also necessary to prevei 

 them in ventilation - shafts. This is accoi 



PECLET'S CHIMNEY-CAP. (Dr. Lincoln.) 



household. As has been previously mentioned, 

 in the section on "Baths and Bathing," it was 

 the ancient Roman custom to so construct the 

 bath-rooms as to appeal to the aesthetic senses; 

 they were luxurious in every particular, being 

 supplied with statuary and paintings, plants and 



