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Pharmacy Links

GENERAL CARE OF THE BODY: DANGEROUS HEATING APPLIANCES

12/03/09

When coal, wood, or gas is burnt in fireplaces, stoves, or radiators, it consumes oxygen. Oxygen is essential for life. When such heating methods are used, make certain that air is entering the room. If the doors and windows fit so snugly that you do not feel any air coming in when you place your hand near the sills, be sure to open one of them a little. Always be careful to protect a gas flame from draughts that might blow it out and cause gas to pour into the room. This has been the source of many serious accidents. Electric heaters and electric stoves do not use up the oxygen in the air. Care should be taken when standing near heaters in night attire made from synthetic materials. Many of these materials are highly inflammable, and serious burns have resulted when the wearer merely brushed against a hot heating appliance, causing the garment to burst into flames.

Room temperature

There is, or course, a problem when it comes to getting along with people whose standards of comfort differ from your own. The average person seems to prefer a room temperature between 70° and 75° F. If you like to be warmer or colder than your associates, try to take care of this by the clothing you wear. Garments should be loose enough not to restrict the body in any way and should permit the absorption or evaporation of perspiration. They should be chosen for comfort rather than simply for style.

Air-conditioning

Air-conditioning is becoming so common in big cities that few of us could avoid it even if we wanted to.

Air-conditioning is certainly an aid to comfort, but it sometimes is a problem, especially if the control is fixed. An air-conditioner should have a thermostat so that room temperature can be adjusted to your own comfort and health requirements. In the summer, you may go from an air-conditioned flat, in an air-conditioned car, to an air-conditioned office, and back again at the end of the day. This means that the body has had little opportunity to make the healthy adjustment to varying climatic conditions that is so important to maintaining a sturdy constitution.

On the other hand, air-conditioning can be a lifesaver. Hot, humid weather places added strain on the circulatory system. For persons suffering from some heart disease, this added strain may be intolerable. Living in an air-conditioned environment may be advised by your physician if you have a coronary condition; but be sure and get his advice before taking this expensive step.

Humidity and comfort

Besides the freshness and temperature of air, its moisture content (humidity) may influence health. Again, each individual must find his own prescription. Some people feel well in cold winter climates where the indoor air is extremely dry. Other people notice that this dry atmosphere causes irritation of the nose and throat. Some people are relatively comfortable when the air is warm and moist in summer. Others are so oppressed by humidity that they need a fan or an air-conditioner. Because perspiration evaporates more readily in dry air, thus cooling the body, most people mind the heat less when it is not combined with dampness.