Philosophical Estimate of the Causes, Effects, and Cure of Unwholesome Air in Large Cities.: With a new, easy, and effectual Mode of supplying with perpetual warm, or cool fresh, Air, Churches, Theatres, Prisons, Hospitals, Ships, Houses, Public, Private, or Sick Rooms, &c. To which is prefixed, a Philosophical Dissertation on the Causes and Cu

AIR POLLUTION ADDRESSED - PIONEERING VENTILATION & HEATING SYSTEM
first (sole) edition 8vo. (in fours) [2], ii, [43], [1 (blank)]pp., 2 folding plates, contemporary tree calf, one plate backed with archival tissue, rebacked with a new spine, black morocco label, modern end papers, very good.

ESTC t6689 locating copies in Aberdeen Univ., British Architectural Libr., B.L., Cambridge, Congregational Libr., Oxford and Royal Institute of British Architects, and 7 in institutions in U.S.A.
Adam Walker (Patterdale, Westmorland, 1730/31 - 1821), itinerant lecturer and writer, was largely self-taught and developed a considerable mechanical skill, constructing models of the milling machinery employed in the local mills. At fifteen he became assistant master at Ledham School, Yorkshire, and at eighteen was appointed writing master at Macclesfield free School where he studied mathematics and issued his first publication 'A System of Family Bookkeeping', 1758. From 1762 to 1766 he ran a school in Manchester teaching a range of commercial and arts subjects and gave lectures on astronomy.In 1766 he bought the apparatus of itinerant lecturer William Griffis, gave up his school, and became himself an itinerant lecturer. In the same year he also published the first of his very successful tracts, his 'Analysis of a Course of Lectures on Natural and Experimental Philosophy', which was first published in Kendal and ran to a twentieth edition in London under the editorship of his sons. Walker traveled through northern England, southern Scotland, spent four years in Ireland and settled in York. He drew large audiences due to his demonstrations, particularly his spectacular eidouranion, a transparent orrery which he used for fifty years. He invented and built a cometarium which demonstrated Kepler's first two laws of planetary motion. He was a friend of the well known itinerant lecturer James Ferguson and on Ferguson's death in 1777, Walker acquired his eclipsareon which demonstrated the nature of eclipses. In 1778-79 he gave a series of highly successful lectures in London which prompted him to set up home there in Hanover Square. From his London base Walker continued to travel and his lectures on mechanics were packed by artisans in northern towns.
He was friendly with most of the eminent industrialists and scientists of the Lunar Society. He staged a highly successful performance of his new eidouranion in the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which was accompanied by the music of the coelestina, a mechanical harpiscord producing a continuous sound which had patented in 1772. His 'Epitome of Astronomy', 1782, went through thirty editions. He visited Paris in 1785, toured Flanders, Germany, France and Italy in 1790 and published his views of French life. He lectured at the public schools of Eton, Westminster, St. Pauls's and Rugby. He also patented improvements to various machines including a method of thermo-ventiliation, 1786, and a rotating light. He died at Richmond, Surrey, in 1821 and is buried in the family vault at Hayes wherer a monument commemorated him as "The Inventor of the Eidourion".He published several works and described himself variously as "Teacher of the Belles Lettres in Manchester", "Lecturer on Experimental Philosophy" and "Lecturer to the Duke of Gloucester". He was married with one daughter and three sons, two of whom continued their father's practice of public and touring lectures.