The philosophy of domestic economy; as exemplified in the mode of warming, ventilating, washing, drying, & cooking, and in various arrangements contributing to the comfort and convenience of domestic life, adopted in the Derbyshire General Infirmary, and ... in several other public buildings / [Charles Sylvester].

  • Sylvester, Charles
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The philosophy of domestic economy; as exemplified in the mode of warming, ventilating, washing, drying, & cooking, and in various arrangements contributing to the comfort and convenience of domestic life, adopted in the Derbyshire General Infirmary, and ... in several other public buildings / [Charles Sylvester]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    vapour. This is hurtful in two wavs ; viz. they do not in- spire the same quantity of oxygen, by the bulk of the aqueous vapour, there is also a defective expiration of mois- ture from the lungs. Very elevated situations have also their inconveniences ; they are cold in a certain proportion to their height; the tops of hills of a moderate height, will be found colder by some degrees than the vallies below. The Alps and other high mountains merely from their elevation, are constantly capped with snow. Hence we may conclude that situations of a moderate height, are most fit for the habitation of man. The most bleak and chilling situation may be much ameliorated by planting, so as to shelter it from the colder winds, and by cultivating the soil around it, for the earth becomes warmed in an increased degree, by the action of the suns rays upon it; and this is the only means of warm- ing the air of the atmosphere. It is from this circumstance, that climates become milder by cultivation, as has been pro- ved in the history of civilized countries. In several points of view the materials of a building is a subject of some importance. In the first place the walls exposed to the air, should consist of the worst conductors of heat. Their aggregation should be quite equal to the superincumbent stress. They should not be acted upon by air or moisture, and should be incombustible. When stone is employed, it should be such as has been known to bear the action of air and water, for a considerable length of time. Stones which are acted upon by the air, owe their perish- ability to several causes. Some stones crumble to powder when exposed to the air or moisture, although their indura- c