334 ATMOSPHERE IN RELATION TO HUMAN LIFE AND HEALTH. 



The effects of vitiated air on the mothers of families, their ability to 

 feed their infants, their strength, and the health of their offspring. 



The diseases most prevalent during calm and during windy weather, 

 respectively. The comparative wholesomeness of similar houses or 

 streets in the most exposed and most sheltered situations in towns and 

 country. 



The normal aeration or permeation of walls and building materials 

 by external air and by internal air with its impurities; the fitness of 

 many porous contaminated substances lining dwelling houses for the 

 growth of pathogenic organisms. 



Research and experiment as to the best means of ventilation, natural 

 and mechanical, for various climates. 



The elaboration of a scheme of aero-therapeutics, including experi- 

 ments in oxygenation, etc. 



The effect, whether great, slight, or practically nil, of the aeration 

 or exposure to natural oxygen of contaminated water, and also of vari- 

 ous pathogenic microbes in rivers, lakes, and ponds or reservoirs. 



The cause of milk turning sour in "thundery weather" and an exam- 

 ination of air at such times with regard to its microorganic contents, 

 its putrefactive influence, and its effect not only on milk, but on vari- 

 ous animal and vegetable infusions. Certain kinds of fungi or germs 

 which affect milk may be enabled to survive in warm, moist air, when 

 they would be killed by dry air; in that case the "thundery weather" 

 would turn milk sour simply because the air is then commonly warm 

 and moist. 



Animal flesh and other provisions do not putrefy or turn bad for a 

 long time in dry and desert air; apparently moisture is necessary in 

 the air for the conveyance of live microbes and for their attack on the 

 substance. 



Wounds heal very well and rapidly in the desert, and disease is very 

 rare among wandering tribes; inquiry seems to be needed to ascertain 

 how far this is due to absence of microbic life in the air and on sub- 

 stances to which the air has access. 



If some diseases and putrefaction and such changes as occur in milk 

 and organic infusions are owing to presence of microorganic life in 

 the air, then those changes and fermentations should not occur in mid- 

 ocean, where care is taken that only air which has not been in contact 

 with any part of the ship, etc., gains access; for the air on mid-ocean 

 is considered to be practically free from living germs. Experiment 

 might best be made on small islands or exposed rocks, such as Rockall, 

 which may be assumed to be sterilized. 



The antiseptic treatment of wounds is now recognized by the great- 

 est surgeons 1 to depend less on the sterilization of the air about wounds 

 than on the sterilization of all objects, including the hands, instru- 

 ments, bandages, etc.; so that it seems that the open air is practically 



1 See recent addresses of Sir Joseph Lister and others. 



