Philadelphia a healthy city--Owing to the superior ventilation
of its houses--But the theory of ventilation still imperfectly
understood--About forty per cent. of all deaths due to foul
air--The death rate for 1865--Expense of unnecessary sickness--In
London--In Massachusetts--In New York--In Philadelphia--Consumption
the result of breathing impure air--Entirely preventable--Infantile
mortality--Report on warming and ventilating the Capitol--Copies
of various tables therefrom--Carbonic acid taken as the
test, but not infallible--The uniform purity of the external
atmosphere--Illustrated by the city of Manchester--Overflowed
lands unhealthy--Air of Paris, London and other cities--Carbonic
acid in houses--Here we find the curse of foul air--Our own
breath is our greatest enemy--Scavengers more healthy than
factory operatives--Wonderful cures of consumption by placing
the patients in cow stables--City buildings prevent ventilation,
consequently are unhealthy--The air from the filthiest street
more wholesome than close bed-room air--Unfortunate prejudice
against night air--Dr. Franklin's opinion of night air--Compared
with the instructions of the Board of Health, 1866--Sleeping with
open windows--Fire not objectionable--A small room ventilated is
better than a large room not ventilated--Illustration--Fresh
air at night prevents cholera--Illustrated by New York
workhouse--Dr. Hamilton's report--Night air just as healthy
as day air--Candle extinguished by the breath--The breath falls
instead of rises--Children near the floor killed first--Physicians'
certificates do not state "killed by foul air"--Open fire-places
are excellent ventilators--All fire-boards should be used for
kindling wood--Illustration showing when ceiling ventilation
is necessary.