The Washington Union

CITY INTELLIGENCE.

The Dog Days.—However scientific men of the present day may choose to sneer at the idea of the ancients that the oppressiveness and sultriness for several weeks, including the latter part of July and the month of August, are owing to the dog-stars rising and setting nearly the same time with the sun, and uniting its influence with that of our luminary, the fact is incontrovertible that this season of the year is of a peculiar character; and it is at least convenient to have a term by which to designate it, so short and universally understood as the phrase "dog-days." We do not intend at this time to agitate the question of stellar influences, in relation to which, to use the language of Sancho Panza, much may be said on both sides; nor shall we discuss the propriety of calling Sirius the dog-star. But our object is to notice briefly some of the dangers to health which are more threatening than at other periods of the year. In consequence of the excessive heat vegetation is unusually rapid, and the decay and putrefaction of animal and vegetable substances is correspondingly accelerated. Thus the atmosphere is full of noxious exhalations, which, during the day, are borne upward into the higher regions of the air by the current which is created by the heat of the sun. During the night, however, these poisonous exhalations are, from the absence of such a current, left on the surface of the earth; and being inhaled by those who are exposed to their influence, they often produce fevers of the most dangerous type. This is especially true in the country; and many persons have brought upon themselves serious illness by sleeping with open windows in localities where these exhalations abound. The Philadelphia Ledger, in an article on this subject which contains some valuable suggestions, remarks that, as a general rule, third-story chambers are healthier than second-story ones; and either healthier than rooms on a level with the street. The reason for this is that the noxious vapors, being heavier than the atmosphere, settle down along the ground. When the yellow fever prevailed in Philadelphia, at the close of the last century, Dr. Rush observed that those who occupied apartments in the third story were far less liable to attack than those who slept on the ground floor. It is always safest, therefore, to sleep up stairs; and children, old people, and invalids should sleep in third stories. These precautions are the more necessary if the dwelling-house is on the outskirts of a city, or in the country; for in proportion to the want of drainage is the danger from noxious inhalations. Many persons, in order to escape from these exhalations, sleep with windows and doors closed, and without any ventilation. But this is courting a greater danger in hopes to escape a less. If the system be kept in proper condition, there will be less danger of sickness from these causes; and hence every one should take care to live temperately and practice frequent ablution, and in this manner he may successfully resist these dangers which lurk unseen around his path.

It is essential to the health of a city that decaying animal and vegetable substances be not suffered to accumulate about our premises. The carts go their rounds daily to remove such offensive matter; and any householder who may be neglected in these visitations need only to make complaint to the commissioner of health to have the matter instantly attended to.