THE EXTENSION OF THE PRINCIPLE. Ill 
feet square, sufficiently close for the growth of 
the most delicate ferns, a robin lived for several 
months, at the end of which time he escaped, in 
consequence of the accidental opening of the 
door. 
Among the diseases incident to man, which 
would he most materially benefited by pure air, 
I shall allude only to two, viz., measles and con- 
sumption. This is not the place to enter into 
any long discussion on medical points ; but be- 
lieving firmly as I do, that a properly regulated 
atmosphere is of more importance in these dis- 
eases than all other remedial means, it would 
have been unpardonable in a work like the pre- 
sent to have passed them over without notice. In 
the crowded districts of large towns the direct 
mortality arising from measles is always great, 
but nothing, I believe, compared with the num- 
bers that die at various and distant intervals in 
consequence of neglect during the disease. Nearly 
all this distress and mortality might be averted 
were there proper rooms provided for the recep- 
tion of the children of the poor when labouring 
under this complaint, or of communicating it 
in favourable seasons. In my examination be- 
fore the Commissioners * for inquiring into the 
* Vide Report of the Commissioners for inquiring into the state 
of large towns and populous districts. London, 1844. 
