Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-02-06
WITH THE HEAD Gov
Erred.
From the Library of Health.

Before the danger of sleeping with the head
covered can be rendered sufficiently plain, it
Will be necessary to state one fact in philolo-
gy to which we have not yet adverted.
The same change of the blood from bad to
good-from pure to impure-which is effect
ed in the lungs, is effected also, in some de-
gree, on the whole surface of the body. They
have no lungs whatever. AS we rise in the
scale ofgills, in which part of the change
OF blood to which we allude is effected. Ris-
Ing still further in the scale ofbeing, find the
lungs larger and larger, and the skin less and
less concerned in the change, till we come to
man, and some few other animals, in whom
the change is almost wholly accomplished by
the lungs. Still, we repeat it, the skin, even
In man, has some share of the work of reno
vatng the blood to perform, as may be readi-
y shown by very simple experiment, like
the following:
When a person has lain several hours in
bed, closely covered to the neck with thick
covering-say with the modern article called
CONFERENCE.-The a candle or lamp be intro
duced under the clothing, and it will soon be
extinguished. The oxygen is so much di-
unfinished, and the carbonic acid gas so much
increased, as to be incapable of supporting
combustlon-and by the same rule unfit for
respiration. Let 1t be also distinctly under
stood that this change is wholly effected with
out the agency of the breath though. when
the head is covered, it is, of course, accom-
plished much faster.
This fact, that we breathe, as it were, that
is to say, purify the blood and poison the air
with the whole surface of our body, as well
as by of the lungs, is of the utmost
practical importance. It is of Importance to
be understood by those on whom we urge the
duty of keeping the skin clean; for how can
foul skin vanished over with dust-perform
its delicate and important functions 1t is of
Importance to be understood in order to know
how to clothe ourselves; for all those forms
and circumstances Of our clothing which tend
to embarrass or interrupt the action of the
skin, In It's work OF assisting the lungs to pu-
riiy the blood, are, Of course, Objectionable.
Its, however, of still! higher importance that it
should be well understood by mothers in the
management of their infants, not only i'm re-
gard to cleanliness and dress, but particularly
in regard to sleep.
For, in the first place, the bed clothing
ought to be as loose and porous as it can be,
and yet, at the same time, retain a sufficient
amount ofheat, in order that the carbonic acid
gas may have opportunity to escape, and the
purer air to find its way through it. Sec
ondly. That clothes ought to be often thrown
open, and the air under them thus exchanged
for better. Thirdly. The child ought never
to be allowed to sleep with its head under
the clothing. Immense is the mischief done
IN this way. as we have already said, by ig-
norant parents, and even by those whose fault
is more that OF carelessness than of ignorance.
Fourthly. He should sleep alone as much as
possible, either in bed or crib, rather than
with parents, brothers, sisters, &c. Filthy.
He should never be permitted to have domes-