The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-02-13 00:00:00

It is really astonishing to behold the number of persons which
these lectures bring together. There could not have been less
than 1200 individuals present at the lecture, on Wednesday
evening last, so report of which we now give. The ladies are
particularly attentive; and it is to be hoped, that the• reproofs
*hie!) Dr. Epps administers with no sparing hand, respecting
the evils of tight lacing, may be attended to. The lecturers not-
withstanding the severity of his remarks, manages with great
tact ti gild- his pills with a quantum suff. of flattery, so .that
the ladies cannot fail to be pleased with the little gentleman.
The cavity of the chest contains the lungs
.and the heart,'
which are boinideci by the sternum, ribs, spine, and midrib or
diaphraglon. "Fite latter is a fleshy membrane of skin beneath
the chest, which, as wilt he afterwards seen, is connected with a
very important duty. The lungs and heart are so essential to
the performance of the duties of life, that if one of them is injur-
ed, either life is suspended or carried on under the most disag-ree-
able circumstances. The lungs consist of several divisions call-
ed lobes, which occupy the whole of the chest, with the excep-
tion of the portion apprepriated by the uteri, The heart is on
the left side of the b 04,,,, hence there is a smaller portion of the
lungs on that side than on the other. The lungs and heart are
covered with a beautiful skin called the pleura; hence the word
pleurisy is used to signify the diseases of the skin. The lungs have
a very important duty to perform. What recalled Adam's apple
in the upper part of the throat is the beginning of the windpipe.
Every portion of food which we take passes over this:into the
gullet without falling into the windpipe. If it did death would
ensue. We all know how inconvenient it is when a morsel goes
the wrong way. This is owing to the morsel getting into the
windpipe, and shows the physical necessity there exists for at-
tending to the rule established by etiquette of never speaking
whilst the mouth is full of food. In order to prevent food from
passing dowii into the windpipe, it is covered with a small valve
called the epiglottis. The upper part of the windpipe is celled
the larynx. After proceeding a short way, it' divides into two
which again ramify through the lungs intaoan itifluite num-
ber of tubes, which are thus ininted. These lower tubes are
• called bronchce, and they carry the air into every pertion'of the
lungs. In fret, they resemble the branches rut" a tree, hut in.-
stead of terminating in leaves, they terminate in a nhaiher 'of
small air cells or vessels, sometimes circular and sometimes ob-
long. It is'etrident, that, as air has to pass down these tubes,
the passage must be constantly open; • and the question is, how
are we to do this? An iron pipe would suggest itself to us, but
it would be inconvenient to carry au iron pipe in our neeks.
Besides, our necks are liable to he stretched, therefore we omit
have something stretchable. Here it might be weed, that. an
Indian rubber tube wouid be a very gond thing, nil account of
its elasticity. We find that-out windpipt'is'made of gristle,
substance superior to Indian rubber in elasticity and firmness.
This gristle is arranged in rings; which can either be brmight
close together or separated. If these rings were perfectly roiled,
it would be inconvenient far 'the food passing down the gullet.
Therefore the circle is incomplete behind, 'and filled up with
flesh, se that as the softness of the gullet enables us • to swallow
unmasticated portions of food' withbut any impediment being
offered by the windpipe, which would be the case Were it com-
pletely-circular. The air vesicles are Most'admirably'construct-
ed.- They are cells for the- reception of the air which passeedoWn
the windpipe, and arc surroneded by a beautiful skin the ore-
thousandth of an inch in thickness. Over this skin all the blood
circulating through the body is passed, for the purpose orcoining
into contact with the atmospheric air. There are in some lungs
rontid gra Ms called tubercles; indeedefew persons are without
them. These lie-dormant, if proper care •be taken ; but if we
pursue a course of dissipation, or expose ourselves too touch to
the elements, we are troubled with little cough and a kind of
fever. This is the commencement of that dire complaint con
siimntion, of which upwards of 50,01 X) persons die annually in
this kingdom. By knowing the circumstances which attend its
approach, we may he able to guard against it: Disease enters.
the tubercles, and from them extends to the lungs. In process
of time ulceration extends front the tubercles to the lungs them-
selves,•and then expectoration takes place, and patientS Spit out
what doctors call pus. When it comes to this there is little hope.
Tubercular consumption is yet beyond the reach of medical
science. But if doctors are called in before this state of things
occurs, there is every chance. When a person becomes emaci-
ated and coughs, he may be sure there is something wrong,.and
that it is time to apply to his medical attendant. •
• It has been firmly remarked that all the blood of our body
Teasees through our lungs. Now the lungs can expose, when
fitly inflated, one hundred and twenty square inches of surface,
but in the common mode of breathing, the quantity of surface
exposed does not amount to more than forty • inches: The
question arises where does the blood come from?—and this in-
troduces us tn the heart. The heart is coutained in a little bag.
which protects it. In connexion with the bag-is a.quantity of I
water surrounding the heart. If this water coliects n too great
a quantity, the patient dies. There are blood-vessels in con-
nectien with the heart. Those containing red blood are called
arteries, and those containing dark blood reins. The red blood
is healthy. but the (lark blood is impure. -The veins convey the
bleier! back to the heart after it !leech:Mated through the body,
and the arteries distribute it after it has been purified in the
lungs, so as again to render it fit for use. The heart consists of
"Thar cavities. Man, and every other warm-blooded animal, has
a (inutile heart. Two of the cavities of the heart are called -1
auricles.- heeavise they are shaped. like dogs! ears, atisl the two
others ventricles. By the contreetion of the right anrieleethe blood
is towed into the right yeutticde., 7Thisocavity again contracts
and forces the blood into the limes. As soon as the blood
kisses the air, that instant .it changes its dark colour into a
. bright red. It is then carried backeo the left side of the heart,
is enters the left auricle, from which it is forced he the
cootreetion of that cavity into the left ventricle. The substance
of the left ventricle is much thicker than that of the right. The
question is,. why such is the case. The reeson is, because it has
pump the blood all ever the-bode, whilst the other has only
to force it into the lungs The heart is provided with four
conical valves, fer the •perpose of preventing the }ked flowiug
back again when the cavities ,contract; t Leese valves are held
firm with strong cords. Many pereons who are subject to
strong excitement have bones formed in their bent, which
render them miserable. The heart collects the blood and sends.
it through the lungs, whirl) purifies it. Toe blood traverses
every part of the body, and in its way receives all the impurities
which are fermed,. and carries them away for purification.
Our bodice, flesh and .bones, are by this process undergoing a-
slow but certain renovation, every portion of these being renewed
and the old portions carried away in a certain portion of time.
When the blood arrives at the lungs it contains a quantity of
charcoal and hydrogen, and is consequently of a dark colour ;
but these combine with the oxygen of the air and form. carbonic
acid and vaponr, which again restores the [Jima to its ted
colour. Breathing is generally described under the terni
respiration. It consists of two operations—ethe process of
breathing in, called inspiration, and that of breathing runt,
called expiration. By inspiration, we expand. our lungs ; when
we breathe out, our lungs WI together, and carbonic acid is
forced out. Carbenie acid is fatal to life ; we may therefore he
said to deteriorate the atmosphere in which we. live, physically
as well as morally. It is a mistaken notion that plants supply
the oxygen which man consumes; a very poor man of the name
of Ellis has proved that ail plants give out cat borne acid as well
as we In.

_.„
We have now to notice the impediment to the free action of
the lungs. It is evident that if we have not the proper quantity
of lungs in which to expose the blood to the action of the air
that the blood is not properly purified. We take in forty cubic
inches of air at each inspiration, which are absolutely necessary
to change our blood from a dark to a red colour. If we pre-
vent our lungs from having free expansion it is quite evident
that all our blood cannot be properly changed, and bad health
will be the result. We will consider this portion of our subject
under three heads—the mechanical, mental, and physical. It
is quite evident that if the lungs be compressed they will thus
be prevented from taking in the requisite quantity of air. This
shows how injurious the practice of tight lacing must be. fit
fact, whilst a man inhales at one average inspiration six pints
or air. a tight-laced female will inhale scarcely more than three.
We laugh at the Chinese for preventing the free growth of the
foot : at any rate, theirs is as innocent folly, for it is not in-
jurious to health, while tight lacing is. Those persons who lace
the tightest have in general bad natural figures, and tight lacing,
instead of improvirg them, distorts the spine and actually in-
jures them. If nature does not give a. good figure, human
efforts cannot create it. Straight backed chain are injurious
for children, because their chests have not sufficient room for
expansion. Drawing and writing desks should he so con-
structed as-to allow the lungs the utmost possible play. Many
persons are either killed or rendered imbecile through want of
this necessary precaution. - Children, again, should not be con-
fined too-long in a sitting- posture; as it- prevents the limper
action of the lungs. Meditatinu, in a sitting posture, likewise
interferes with the free access of air to the lungs—those persons
-inclined to meditate should take a Walk into the country and do
so. In the act •of meditation, we frequently bold our breath,
and this it is which renders it so injurious. Studious persons
are, on this account, frequently troubled with dyspepsia:, It is
equally bad to-sit listening for ton long a time. Many persons
feel miserable because they cannot refrain, especially after
dinner, from falling asleep (luring, divine servica. This is not
their fault, they cannot help it if they sit long in the same
position. A tradesman who is in-the hahit of walking about his
place of business throughout the -week will naturally rind it iin-•
possible- to ovoid going to sleep when he attempts to sit fer three
or tour hours listening to any individual, unless that individual
possesses extraordinary fascinating powers. The only preven-
tive in such a case would be not to take any dinner.
As inflammatinn of the lungs is a disease of frequent occur-
rence, it may be well to-describe ifs symptoms and ibe proper
course of trea:ment. When any part of the lungs is inflamed, it
becomes impervious to the air, so that the patient cannot take a
full quantity of breath without a feeling of considerable pain, in
consequence of the forcible expansion of those parts. In such
hceht 75,i1l and these
probably
a case, supposing the-patient, in full health. to expose a surface
of forty cubic inc} es
athsemafcateieonoofftthhiertayiri,-n
only be able to expose
thirty inches mast do the same duly which was preciously done
by the forty. How is this duty to -be done. W e must present
the air more rapidly to the blood, and therefore persons who
have inflamed lunes breathe. quickly. The pulse also becomes
quick. How is this? . The heart renders its assistance, and, in
order to supply the deficiency of the- lungs, pumps a. rapid
supply of blood to the lungs,.but in small quantities, so that the
air can purify the -blood as it is presented. The excitement,
however, which is thus induced is more than the system can
bear,.and unless seine speedy relief is offered the spinal cord
and the brain become affected, and the patient is placed in a
situation of imminent danger. The doctor comes as a minister
of peace; he takes away a pound or two of blood, and the man
has less to expose to the action of the air in the limes. The
man can breathe more freely, he goes to bed; and is well the
next day. This is the course always pursued in all cases of in-
flammation of the lungs; and therefore persons will know the
doctor's reasons when he takes blood from. them under such
circumstances.

• GOLDEN 7,AGLE.---4311 Monday last, a •fine l ird, of the Chry-
sai4os, or Goiden. I.:',agle kind, was taken by Mr. Thomas Tin-
date, Lord Downe's gamekeeper, on his -lordship's estate at
Beningtoongh. The bird had been observed in the wood on the
estate during a fortnight precedim and had committed great
depredations on the game. It measured nearly eight feet from
tip to tip of the outspread wings.