Lewis W. Leeds

“ At the first the stoves were entirely encased, and the fresh air allowed to encircle them completely, but experience soon demonstrated the desirableness of having a portion of the hot stove exposed for direct radiation, so that the feeble and chilly ones might come near to it and warm themselves. There should always be a considerable amount of direct radiation in every hospital ; that from an open fire is the best, but that from a stove or steam-pipe is very good. ”

“ The early recognition during the late war, both by the Sanitary Commission and the government officials, of the important fact that many more men are killed by breathing foul air than are killed by the enemies' bullets, led them to use very active exertions to secure good ventilation in hospitals and camps, and to teach the men themselves the value thereof. ”

“ As the first winter approached after the commencement of the war, the idea seemed almost shocking to me of putting the sick and wounded men in such open barracks, generally without plastering, and made, as many of them were, with rough boards and very open. ”

“ These shafts were made very large—never less than thirty inches square and sometimes three feet by six feet. The popular plan of opening the water-closet windows and allowing much of the fresh air to enter the building that way was strenuously avoided ; the windows in the closet were fastened shut, and then the air to supply this large exhaust shaft was drawn from the adjoining ward or room, which ventilated that ward and prevented any unpleasant odor from the closets returning into the ward. ”

“ This is often very useful, especially in summer, when there is not sufficient difference between the external air and that in the ward to create a current. There is often a considerable force in the passing current at the top of the building when there is much less below. ”

“ The special arrangements of flues, v, for winter ventilation, and the introduction of the fresh air around the stove, were not introduced into the hospitals in Philadelphia, built at the commencement of the war. ”