Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-01-16
miscellaneous.
From the Library Of Health.

SLEEpISG wlTfi THE HEAD COVERED
Before The danger uf sleeping with the
head covered can he rendered sufficiently
plain, il will he necessary 10 stale one lacl
in physiology to which we have Net yel
averled.
The sare change of the blood from
bad 10 gond-fom pure to impurc-whicI!
is effected in The lungs, is el;'cIrd also, III
some degree, OH The whule surface of Ihr
body. Some insects or worms may bc
said to breathe entirely on the surface oI
The body. They have nolunss whatever.
As we rise in the scale of exisleure, 10
snakes, DC. we besiu 'o'find lungs or gills,
in which part of The change Of binni
10 which we allude is effected. Rising
still further in The scale Of being, we find
the lungs larger anil larger, and the skin
less and less concerned in the change, Till
we come to man. and some few animals.
in whom the change is almost wholly ac-
conplished bv tie lungs. Still, we repeat
it, the skin, even in man, has some share
Of the york of renovating The blmd to
per!orm, az may he readily shown by a
very simple experiment like The following
When person has laiI several hours
in bed, closely covered to The neck with
thick cnvcring-say with the modern ar
ticIe Gil led II comf0rable-let ii candle or
lamp be introduced under the clorhlnS
and it will soon be cxtimgnshed. The
oxygen is so much diminished, and the
III .n6 a.
to he incapable Of supporting comhustion
and by the same rule unfit Tor respiration.
Let it be also distinctly understood thai
this change is wi,ully effected wilIoul the
agency of the breath; when the head Is
covered. il is of course, accomplished
much faSrer.
This fact, that we breathe, rs il werr,
thai i, 10 say, purify The blood and poison
the air with the whole surface Of our body
as well AS by means of the lungs, Is of the
utmost practical importance. ltls of i'm
pprIance TO be understood by those on
whom we urge the duty of keeping The
skin clean; for how can a foul skili-a skin
vanished over with dusi---pcr!urm It's
GrIcale and important func'inns! II is ol
importance to he understood in order to
know how To clnlhe ourselves for all those
forms and circumstances Of our clothing
which lend.tu embarrass or intercept The
Ir!iun of The skin; In its work OF assisting
the lungs to purify the blood, are, of course
objectionable. II is. however, of still
higher Importance that it should be well
uud"rslo d by mothers n the manage
rnrnt OF their infants, nor only in regard
to cleanliness and dress, but particularly
in regard TO sleep.
For, in the first place, TIE bed clothing
ought 10 no as loose and porous as il can
BE, aud vet, a, tho same time, retain "A
sufficient amount of heat, in nriisr that the
carbonic acid gas may have opportunity tn
escape, aud tho pure air 10 find ils way
through it. Secondly. That clothes
oughI to be often thrown open, and the
mir under them thus cxchana' d for better.
Thirdly. The child ought never 10 he al.
lowed 10 sleep with its head under the
clothing. lmmeuce is the mischief done
in ,Ilis way, as we have already said, by
ignorant parents, and even by those whose
fault is more thai of carelessnrss Than OF
ignorance. FourhIy. He should sleep
alone IS much as possible, either in heri
or a crib rather than with parents, bro'.
ers, sisters, Sc, Filthy. He should
never he Icrmitled To have domestic AMI
mails, as favorite dogs or Gals, sleep in the
he'd with him-a practice quite too com.
mon in our couuiry-especially that OF
having puppy in the bed. The child's
body poisons The imprisoned air quite fast
enough without amy aid from dogs and
cats or from olher human bDdies; and, a
bove all, without being aided by his own
breath.
What has been said in relation TO thee
management of infants will be generally
applicable-,he principles which it involve
will ar Ieas, De so-in the management OF
childhood and youth, and manhood and
old age. Fires without fluid, lamps, can
dies, breathing, the action of the skin, I'll
not prevented by dirt, improper cldIhing,
&c. and many more causes, will continue
to operate to deteriorale the atmosphere
at every period of existence.
There will be no moment OF our lives
when we shall NOT need the whole active
force of free, vigorous parrot lungs, aud
healthy skin, 10 form and reform the
blood. aud 10 cast off the poisonous car
bonic acid gas which is formed by these
important processes. There will he no
waking moment ofUur lives when we shall