ever knows what a collection of rnbbish he possesses till
he has occasion to remove. There may not be mnch to be
ashamed of in the first load or two of furniture, but at the
latter end there is a strong feeling that a dark night would
be more adapted for moving — the darker the better. At
least every twelve months there should be a regular clearance
of worn-out articles, and that miscellaneous collection of
odds and ends which can be of no earthly value to anybody,
unless he be an antiquary.
Let us now go on to consider what ill effects result from
the breathing of vitiated air. In his work, A Manual
of Practical Hygiene, Professor Edmund A. Parkes has
iwinted out : " When air moderately vitiated by respiration
" is breathed for any period and continuously, its effects
" become complicated with those of other conditions.
" But allowing the fullest effect to all other agencies,
" there is no doubt that the breathing of the vitiated
" atmosphere of respiration has a most injurious result
" on the health. The aeration and nutrition of the blood
" seems to be interfered with, and the general tone of
" the system falls below par. Of special diseases it
" appears pretty clear that affections of the lungs are more
" common." The volume of air inhaled and exhaled by
the adult in the twenty-four hours averages 360 cubic
feet, or 2,000 gallons, while the amount we take in the shape
of liquid or solid food does not amount probably to more
than 5^ pints, which is equal to only l-3000th part of the
volume of air passed through the lungs. From this it
will be seen how necessary it is that such a large amount
of air should be perfectly fresh and wholesome, for the lungs
act as a pair of immense sponges or absorbers. When the
ventilation does not allow of a continuous supply of fresh
air it smells close, and is surcharged with an increased
amount of carbonic acid, while the noxious" exhalations from
46 THE ART OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA.
the breath and lungs deposit themselves throughout the
room. Nor are the ill-effects of impure air confined to man
alone, for it is well known that cows, horses, sheep, and other
animals, when penned up in close quarters, show an increased
death-rate from many diseases.
But though it is perfectly plain that badly ventilated
sleeping apartments tend greatly to the production of
diseases of the lungs, it is not generally understood by the
greater number of persons that diseases of the heart are
brought on by similar conditions, and there is without
doubt a great increase of heart diseases at the present time.
Tt is estimated that upwards of 10,000 people in England
alone die yearly from affections of the heart ; yet, taking
into consideration the ceaseless work of that organ (in the
words of the motto upon Goethe's ring, " Ohne Rast " —
without rest), it is wonderful that it is not more frequently
diseased. It is said that " the heart is a small muscular
" organ weighing only a few ounces, beating perpetually
" day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter ;
" and yet often an old man's heart nearly a hundred years
" of age is as perfect and complete as when he was a
" young man of twenty " (Haughton).
Page 40
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
ever knows what a collection of rubbish he possesses till he has occasion to remove. There may not be much to be ashamed of in the first load or two of furniture, but at the latter end there is a strong feeling that a dark night would be more adapted for moving — the darker the better. At least every twelve months there should be a regular clearance of worn-out articles, and that miscellaneous collection of odds and ends which can be of no earthly value to anybody, unless he be an antiquary.
Let us now go on to consider what ill effects result from the breathing of vitiated air. In his work, A Manual of Practical Hygiene, Professor Edmund A. Parkes has pointed out : " When air moderately vitiated by respiration " is breathed for any period and continuously, its effects " become complicated with those of other conditions. " But allowing the fullest effect to all other agencies, " there is no doubt that the breathing of the vitiated " atmosphere of respiration has a most injurious result " on the health. The aeration and nutrition of the blood " seems to be interfered with, and the general tone of " the system falls below par. Of special diseases it " appears pretty clear that affections of the lungs are more " common." The volume of air inhaled and exhaled by the adult in the twenty-four hours averages 360 cubic feet, or 2,000 gallons, while the amount we take in the shape of liquid or solid food does not amount probably to more than 5^ pints, which is equal to only l-3000th part of the volume of air passed through the lungs. From this it will be seen how necessary it is that such a large amount of air should be perfectly fresh and wholesome, for the lungs act as a pair of immense sponges or absorbers. When the ventilation does not allow of a continuous supply of fresh air it smells close, and is surcharged with an increased amount of carbonic acid, while the noxious" exhalations from
the breath and lungs deposit themselves throughout the room. Nor are the ill-effects of impure air confined to man alone, for it is well known that cows, horses, sheep, and other animals, when penned up in close quarters, show an increased death-rate from many diseases.
But though it is perfectly plain that badly ventilated sleeping apartments tend greatly to the production of diseases of the lungs, it is not generally understood by the greater number of persons that diseases of the heart are brought on by similar conditions, and there is without doubt a great increase of heart diseases at the present time. Tt is estimated that upwards of 10,000 people in England alone die yearly from affections of the heart ; yet, taking into consideration the ceaseless work of that organ (in the words of the motto upon Goethe's ring, " Ohne Rast " — without rest), it is wonderful that it is not more frequently diseased. It is said that " the heart is a small muscular " organ weighing only a few ounces, beating perpetually " day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter ; " and yet often an old man's heart nearly a hundred years " of age is as perfect and complete as when he was a " young man of twenty " (Haughton).