The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1848-07-12

EXPANDING THE CHEST. Those in easy
circumstances, or who pursue sedentary employ
ments within doors, generally use their lungs but
very little-breath very little air into the chest
and thus, independently of bad positions, con-
tract wretchedy narrow, small chest, and lay
the foundation for the loss of all health and beau
ty All this can be perfectly obviated by lit
tie attention to the manner OF breathing. Recol
lect the lungs are like bladder in their struc-
ture, and can be stretched open to double their
ordinary size, with perfect safety, giving noble
chest and perfect immunity from consumption -
The agent required, is the common air
breathe; supposing, however, that no obstacle
exist, external to the chest, such as lacing, or
tying it around with stays or tight dresses, or
having the shoulders lay upon it, On rising from
bed in the morning place yourselfin an erect pos
ture, your chest thrown back, and shoulders en-
tirely off the chest now inhale or suck in all
the air you can, so to fill the chest to the very
bottom of it, so that no more air can be got in
now hold your breath and throw your arms off
behind, holding III your breath long you
can, again fill your chest and walk about, hold
ing in your breath as long as possible. Repeat
these long breaths as many times as you please =
Done in cold room is much better, because the
air is heavier and denser and will act much more
powerfully in expanding the chest. Exercising
the chest in this manner, it will become very
flexible and expansble, and will enlarge the ca
pacity and size of the lungs.
While forming fine chest, and after il is form
ed, great is requisite to establish perfecting
correct positions, so that the chest shall not be
contracted, and all your efforts counteracted by
bad positions. II your positions habtually
bad, in spite of all you can otherwise do, the
chest will be more or less contracted. The rule
with you should be, and the rule of health is, to
keep the bottom of the chest, the ends of the
short ribs, and the lower end of the breast BONE
as far out from the back bone as possible. To
effect this the chest must be perfectly straight,
and thrown little backwards from the waist at
all times The small of the back is made flexi-
Bile, but the hip joints are the points from which
to stoop, either backward or forward. The joints
are ball-and socket joints, like a swivel in some
degree. The trunk of the body may bend for
ward as much as you please, for all useful pur-
poses, and the chest, and the whole spine and
neck be Kept perfectly straight. Hence no lady
should ever make table of her lap. either for
sewing, reading, or writing, or any occupation
whatever Let all these, and all work you do,
be arranged on table before you, and that table
be raised to the armpits, as high possible,
so as to keep the chest straight.
A little practice will make this infinitely more
agreeable than to stoop, whilst little fatigue
will be experienced at your occupations, com
from habitual STOPPING. The weight of the
shoulders will thus be kept off the chest, which
is one of the grand causes of fatigue from manual
labor You will thus entirely prevent he mark
of servitude being impressed upon your person,
in pair OF round, STOPPING shoulders, and fiat,
contracted chest.-Fitch's Lectures.