Nov. 28, 1884.] 



♦ KNO\A/LEDGE ♦ 



447 



that if our readers adopt the measures we have indicated, 

 they will bo aiuply repaid by the enjoyment of increased 

 bodily health, und freedom from the many ills which are 

 attendant oji a defective system of ventilation or an entire 

 absence thereof. 



We presume that the majority of minor dwelling-houses 

 are devoid of any well-regulated system of ventilation ; the 

 holders of such abodes would do well to test the atmo- 

 sphere of their apartments, and improve their condition if 

 necessary. As the percentage of carbonic acid gaa usually 

 indicates the stale of atmospheric impurity, it is of advan- 

 tage to ascertain its relative quantity by some simple ex- 

 pedient, such as the following tentative test : — 



Conjecture the percentage of carbonic acid in the air to be 

 tested. Then take half an ounce of perfectly clear lime-water, and 

 agitate it, with the contained air, in a bottle holdin^^ the number of 

 ounces standing in the following Table opposite to the supposed 

 percentage. It' a white turbidity is produced, the air contains more 

 than the attributed quantity of carbonic acid, and the experiment 

 may be repeated for higher proportions. The first column gives 

 the content of the bottle, in avoirdupois ounces, including the 

 space occupied by half an ounce of lime-water ; the second column 

 gives the percentage of carbonic acid in the air.* 



On April 18, 1881, a letter appeared in the Times, 

 signed " F. R. C. S.," in which the writer, whom we have 

 reason to believe is an eminent London surgeon, detailed 

 his experiences in converting an insanitary abode into a 

 healthy home. After recountiug the various evils to be 

 apprehended from the incursion of dust and dirt, such as 

 colds, headaches. Arc, which are attributed not so much to 



tion of cisterns, and so forth The next thing was to cover 



the old floors with thin oak parqueterie, both in living-rooms and in 

 bedrooms. This was done for nie by Messrs. Howard at a very 

 moderate charge, a fact which I am the more desirous to place on 

 record because, for one room, I employed another firm, and paid a 



larger sum for bad material and defective workmanship 



The parquet surface was not waxed, but French polished, so that it 

 is not slippery. It is dusted or swept every day like the top of a 

 table, and it is washed with a sponge and spirit of turpentine when 

 dirt is deposited upon it. The turpentine not only cleans it effec- 

 tually, bnt also affords the benefit of its fragrant and antiseptic 

 odour for some hours after it has been used." 



Figs. 2 and ?>, for which we are indebted to the kind 

 ness of Messrs. Howard i Sons, of Berner's-street, W., are 

 examples of plain and decorative parquet floorings. Al- 

 though the initial cost of this system of flooring is much 

 over that of ordinary carpets, it must be borne in mind 

 that they are so much more durable that, in the long run, 

 they are in reality the least expensive of the two. The 

 parqueterie is of two princi[ial kinds — viz., \ in. and 1 in. 

 in thickness, respectively ; the former is permanently 

 fastened to the floor of the room, whilst the latter, on a 

 patent laminated back, admits of being taken up, in case of 

 removal. 



the cold temperature and chills, as to the " poisonous in- 

 fluence upnn the mucous membrane of the respiratory 

 passages of the septic dust which people breathe, and which, 

 in the majority of instancfs, they trample out of their filthy 

 carpets," he goes on to give an outline of the methods 

 which he so successfully adopted. He says : — 



" The first thing, of course, was to see carefully to the drainage 

 and water arrangements, to the ventilation of soil-pipes, the condi- 



* This passage is quoted from the " Medical Annual " for 1883-4, 

 p. 119, published by H. Kimpton, 82, High Holborn, London— a 

 volume which contains an able digest of everything pertaining to 

 health, and, as such, will be found of great value, not only to the 

 medical practitioner, but to every intelligent reader. 



OTHER WORLDS THAN OURS. 



A WEEK'S CONTEKSATION ON THE PLUEALITT OF 

 WORLDS. 



By Mons. de Fontenelle. 



with notes by richard a. proctor. 



THE THIKD EVENING {CtmU-imed from p. 378). 



" T EAVING the moon on the side next the sun, we see 



I i Venus, which puts me again in mind of St. Dennis. 

 Venus turns upon herself, and round the sun, as well as 

 the moon ; they likewise discover by their telescopes that 

 Venus, like the moon (if I may speak after the same 

 manner), is sometimes new, and sometimes in the wain, 

 according to the difierent situations she is in with respect 

 to the earth. The moon, to all appearance, is inhabited ; 

 why should not Venus be so, too ? " 



" You are so full of your why's and your wherefore's," 

 says the ^Marchioness, interrupting me, " that I fancy 

 you are sending colonies to all the planets." 



" You may be certain, madam," I reply'd, " that 

 I will ; for I see no reason to the contrary. We 

 find that all the planets are of the same nature, 

 all obscure bodies, which receive no light but from the 

 sun, and then send it to one another : their motions are 

 the same, so that hitherto they are alike ; and yet, if we 

 are to believe that these vast bodies are not inliabited, I 

 think they were made but to little purpose. Why should 

 nature be so partial, as to except only the earth ? But let 

 who will say the contrary, I must believe the planets are 

 peopled as well as the earth." 



"I find," says the Marchioness with some concern, "a 

 philosopher will never make a good martyr, you can so 

 quickly shift your opinion ; 'twas not many minutes since, 

 the moon was a perfect des-ert ; now I see you would be 

 very angry if any one should say all the rest of the planets 

 are not inhabited." 



" Why truly, madam," said I, " there is a time for all 

 things ; and your true philosopher believes any thing, or 

 nothing, as the maggot bites. And this is not so very im- 

 probable as you think it : for I cannot help thinking it 

 would be very strange, that the earth should be so well 

 peopled, and the other planets not inhabited at all ; for do 

 you believe we discover (as 1 may say) all the inhabitants 



