Daily Notes.

Freethought Review, Volume I, Issue 5, 1 February 1884, Page 3

Daily Notes.

Dr. Reklam, in a recent number of the ‘ Gesnndheit’, says that the headache, restlessness, &c., which are sometimes caused by keeping flowers in bedrooms, do not result rom any special properties of the flowers themselves, but fiom the continued strain brought to boar upon the olfactory nerves. . Walking, of itself, says Dr. Sargent, of Harvard College, is of no value as an exercise, but a spirited walk is one of the finest of all exercises. If a man enters heartily into this exercise he will be benefited by it. Horseback ndiii" is an excellent exercise for circulation as very little of the nervous energy is expended. For a person who uses the mind excessively, however, this form of exercise is not"good, as it produces nervousness. Swimming is, without exception one of the finest of all physical exercises. It developes especially the lower portion of the chest, the legs and arms. Running, at a regular and fixed pace; boxing, to teach one to keep the temper under adverse circumstances rowing and canoeing, to strengthen the upper part of the thorax and chest are useful. The benefit to be derived from regular practice in a gymnasium, by which the mind and nerve centies aie so trained that they have a certain amount of over the body, so that while the muscles may give out, this mental power, when once obtained by physical training, will never be lost, is of the greatest account. A Medical Commission, which was appointed not Ion" ago in Germany to study certain questions relating to the construction of school buildings, has made an interesting report which certainly must be regarded as marking a step in advance in that branch of science. In the matter of ventilation we find that the members of the Commission agiee with all the other experts who have investigated the subject, in increasing the quantity of fresh air, which is to be regai ded as essential to health. It is but a short time since a thousand feet of air per hour for each pupil was regarded as an extremely liberal theoretical allowance for healthy children, and in practice, in this country, at least a room in.which a hundred and fifty or two hundred feet per hour is actually supplied to each person is regarded as admirably ventilated. How, however, those who "have Ion" submitted to be accused of foolish extravagance in insisting that this is an inadequate allowance, may cite the authority of the man doctors, who set 2120 cubic feet per hour for each pupil as the minimum quantity of fresh air to be supplied. In the best arranged shafts of metal, fitted with gas flames, stoves or other artificial means for promoting the draught, the upward current will occasionally reach a velocity of a thousand feet per minute in cold weather, although the average is rarely more than 500 feet, and gen ally much less ; so that a room containing GO pupils should have an outlet shaft of 4 square feet or more in sectional area* to be even capable of such ventilation as is pronounced essential. In regard to lighting the new Commission totally denies the famous theory of unilateral illumination, following in this respect the French authorities who began to call it in question a year or so ago. In the language of the report, it is practically impossible, even with lofty and narrow rooms, to obtain sufficient light by this method. In cases where openings can only be made in one wall, the report requires that the width of the tiers between the windows shall not exceed three-fourths that of the windows themselves, and that the width of the room shall not be more than 5 feet greater than the height of the windows, which would restrict it in such cases to about 18 feet as a maximum. Lighting from two sides being then required under all ordinary circumstances, it is advised that the windows should be in the opposite walls, on the rmht and left of the pupils as seated. Light from the reaiMs admissible, but is not recommended, and windows facin" the pupils are prohibited. Walls of neighboring buildings painted white and reflecting the sunshine into the schoolroom are very injurious, and the owners should be'persuaded or obliged to paint them of a dark color. The inside face of the walls of the school-room itself is to be painted pale blue or bluish white,- and the ceiling pure white. Artificial light should be used without hesitation on dark and short days. It is more dangerous to work by insufficient daylight than by gaslight. Argand burners are preferable as giving a steadier light, and ground glass globes are objectionable on account of the large proportion of light which they absorb. American Architect . - ■ . J