In the Wisconsin Agricultural Experimental Station, an experiment was
conducted for fourteen days on the effect of ample and deficient
ventilation on a herd of cows. The stable was chiefly underground and
had two large ventilators which could be opened or closed at will. The
food eaten, the water drunk, the milk produced, and weight of the cows
were recorded each day. For a part of the time the cows were kept
continuously in the stable with all openings closed, and then the
ventilators were opened, the alternate conditions being repeated at
intervals of four days. The amount of food consumed was practically the
same under both conditions. The quantity of milk given was greater with
good ventilation. The chief difference was in the amount of water
consumed, since with the insufficient ventilation the cows drank on the
average 11.4 pounds more water each, daily, and yet lost in weight 10.7
pounds at the end of each two-day period. Examination of the animals
themselves also showed that a rash had developed on their bodies which
could be felt by the hand and which was apparently very irritating,
since it was so rubbed by the animals as to cause the surface to bleed.
The evident teaching of the experiment is that under conditions of poor
ventilation, it was impossible for the lungs to remove waste products to
as great an extent as usual, and, therefore, the demand for additional
water was felt in order to stimulate greater action on the part of the
kidneys to care for these waste products. That this was not a successful
substitute was shown by the loss of weight in the animals, and by the
irritation of the skin which evidently was trying to eliminate some of
the remaining impurities through its surface.
_Modifying circumstances._
Fortunately for mankind, it has not been customary, nor even possible,
to build dwellings or stables approaching the air-tightness of a fruit
jar. Air has great power of penetration, particularly when in motion,
and a wind will blow air through wooden walls, and even through brick
walls, in considerable quantity. It is practically impossible to build
window casings and door frames so that cracks do not exist, through
which air may find its way. When, however, in the wintertime, storm
windows have been put on, or when, as occasionally happens, to keep out
drafts, strips of paper are pasted carefully around all window casings,
or when rubber weather strips are nailed tight against the windows and
doors, conditions are obtained which resemble the mason fruit jar, and
under those conditions, a person living continuously in such a room is
experimenting on himself as Professor King did with the candle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account