Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-17
Breathing.

own observations on the structure OF The sun.
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Breathing.
There are certain physiological laws which,
from their simplicity as well as their import
ancc, should be familiar to every person.
These principles can hardly be too often urged
upon tie attention Of the reading community
for il is a melancholy fact that with all that
has been written and said upon the subject Of
health, there is a widespread ignorance or in
difference in relation 10 its preservation.
The process of breathing is very simple,
though The machinery by which ii is performed
is complicated and wonderful. And herein, at
least ''al men are created equal" neither can
man boast in this respect over the brues be-
meath him, for all existence is sustained by the
same process. Here the prince and the beg
sar-ihe man OF colossal intellect and the mean
est insect, are upon a common level.
Yet the art of breathing seems but i'll under
stood, or if understood but poorly practeed.
Certain il is that thousands Of people of both
sexes stop breathing altogether long before they
have lived 10 old age, for the simple reason
that they do not breathe properly while they
have a chance. Consumption, asthma, and
kindred disorders, that count their victims by
muliilndes which no man can number, result in
numerous instances from this fruitful source of
mischief The lungs are so constructed, that
the largest one (he right lung,) when proper
ly used and developed, will contain gallon of
air. yet it may be so contracted as TO contain
no more than gill and when this stage Of
contraction is reached, aperson had better make
his will, and all other necessary arrangements
for an uniimely death.
Ii is Just as easy 10 have broad-chest and
fully developed lungs as is to have them con-
traced; yet there is only one way given, Sun
der heaven or among men," whereby this re-
suit may be attained, and that is TO breathe
properly. In the first place, it you would do
this, you must keep erect, whether sitting or
standing and then you must breathe fully
that is, you must fill The lungs 10 their very
bottom. Furthermore, you should often give
the lungs an extra Strengthening, by throwing
back your arms and shoulders as far as posi-
BILE, drawing in all The air you can, and then
letting il of oy the slowSst process. This in
vigorates the whole system, and soon becomes
luxury which one will not dispense with.
1t is particularly necessary for persons of Sc
dentary habits, such as clerks, shoemakers,
talors, teachers, etc. These persons should
never allow themselves 10 sit in STOPPING pos
ture and as often as every half hour should
get up and fill their lungs in the manner just
described.
There is style particularly common with
Young America, of sitting with the heels as
high or higher than the head. What is more
common than TO see man reading his news
paper, or smoking cigar, with his feet perch
ed upon desk, or some object higher than his
chair! The practice is at once vulgar and
mlschievous, and, long continued, can but re-
suit dsastrously TO the health.
'r.--.s.,.- r~-i,iea &C ,,.s body i. inai-rs"sa-
BILE. A person should make it matter of Sc
rious and solemn duty not to get into the habit
of STOPPING. They can soon get accustomed
to it, that it is as easy to stand erect as 10 bend.
Those in the habit of STOPPING may find tquile
struggle to overcome ii; but the reward will
richly repay the labor. Not only should the
STOPPING posture be avoided through the day,
but also in he'd. The position should be such
during sleep that the lungs will imbibe the
greatest possible quantity of air.
This leads us to remark upon the ventilation
Of sleeping apartments. 1t is an amazing fact
that hundreds Of families sleep without fresh
air, carefully closing all the doors and windows
that can admit any, as though it were an enc
my against which they were to barricade their
castles, instead Of friend without which they
can not live. The air Of bedroom is thus
brealhed over and over again, till it becomes
impure and unhealthy and by this means the
system is enervaied, and disease is engendered.
Dwellings should be built with an eye to this
important matter of ventilation but even where
they are not, partial remedy exists, for win
dow can be raised, OF door opened-or both.
These suggestions, as we have already init
mated, are Of the simplest kind, which every
person can understand and adopt. Their impor-
lance can not be over-esiimaied ! he whole
subject of physiology is one Of the greatest i'm
poliance, and no man should be ignorant in re-
lation TO the structure Of his system and the
proper use Of its fnnctions.-Lfe Illustrated.
A Coop STORY SPoILED.-The story going
the rounds of the papers, that Mr.. Buchanan
will write his inauuural with an eaple ouill