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night, as to exclude the ingress of fresh air or the egress of
foul or used-up air, and no house can be wholesome in which
this is not provided for.
The decomposition of air by human beings in a closed
room soon deteriorates the atmosphere, and renders it unfit
for oxidizing and purifying the blood.
This decomposition of air is increased enormously when
gas is burned—one gas jet consumes as much oxygen as live
human beings.
Sitting rooms should have communication with the
exterior air, when occupied in the day time, by means of a
properly constructed ventilator; but it might be sufficient in
this changeable climate to keep a landing window open, or
have an open ventilator in the ceiling of the landing at
night.
1867.—As each adult person requires for the preservation
of health, some 500 cubic feet of air spacc in a sleeping
apartment, and without a sufficient supply of air, he is
breathing over again an impure and poisoned atmosphere,
which is certain to be deleterious; it is important that
some limit should be placed upon the number of persons
inhabiting houses, and their overcrowding prevented; but
difficulties attend this subject. In this district rents are
expensive, and, although it may be perfectly evident that a
certain quantity of pure air is necessary for each individual,
yet it is patent to every one conversant with the house
accommodation of the poor that some families cook, eat,
drink, wash (frequently dry clothing), and sleep in a room
with a much smaller air space than above mentioned, and
that if in all cases a sufficient air space were insisted on,
some would find it difficult to find a residence.
Hie subject ot ventilation, however, requires less delicacy
in handling, as whatever the kind of accommodation rooms
afford, still they may be ventilated; and a small quantity of
cubic space well ventilated is better than a much larger space
without such ventilation.
A entilators should be fixed in every room, passage, or