Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-02-20


hundred and sixty-six square yards Of respir-
atory surface, every single point of which
vast surface is in constant aud immediate con-
tact with the atmosphere inspired Let us,
then, consider the quantity OF air which is
daily presented TO this surface. 1t will, of
course, vary according to age, constitution,
and mode Of living. The quantifS l8iE re-
ceived at an ordinary inspiration, sny
effort at all, is, according to DIR. Rnt
one pint Considering eighteen fa1 ['ns
TO take place in one minute, about eighteen
pints of pure air are necessary for sus taining
healthfu life during that short period. One
little minute of healthful life cannot be en-
joyed without about eighteen pints of pure
air being diffused over that wonderful extent
Of delicate capillary network connected with
the lungs. The quantity requisite for an hour
of health will thus be one thousand aud eighty
pints. And TO continue the calculation, dur
ing one days healthul existence, twenty-five
thousand nine hundred and twenty pints, or
no less than sixty hogsheads of pure atmos-
phere, must enter the lungs and this is al
lowing but one pint for each inspiration, and
but eighteen inspirations for each minute,
though it must be clear to all that during ac-
tive exercise it frequently happens that in one
minute of time more than twice eighteen in
spirations take place, and considerably more
than pint of air enters the lungs at a single
inspiration.
Now, this immense volume of air is on
purpose to give life to the liquid essence of
our food--life to the dead blood, Until acted
upon by the atmosphere, the fluid which is
travcrsing the lungs is, to all intents and pur
poses, dead and, consequently totally in
capable of repairing worn structures, Of car
/ rying on functions, or maintaining any vitality
in the system nay, it even contains in its
/ elements a considerable quantity of pernicious
I poison, brought to the lungs to be given out
/ in the act of breathing, lest it should kill the
/ human fabric The poison alluded to is car
/ bonic acid To breathe in an atmosphere of
carbonic acid is death, as rapid as it is GER
( tain.
Allow me to remind you. that in the human
/ body the blood oirculates once in two and a
half minutes. In two and half minutes all
the blood contained in the system trayerses
the respiratory surface. Every one, then,
who breathes an impure atmosphere two and
Il half minutes has every part of his blood
acted on by the yitiating air Every particle
has become less vital, less oapsede of.repairing
structures, or of carrying on tLuctions and
the longer such air is inspired thc more im-
pure il becomes, and the lnQre corrupt grows
the blood. Permit me tercpeat that, after
breathing two and half minutes am atmos-
phere incapable of properly oxygenating the
fluids which are traversiug the lungs, every
drop of blood in the human being is more OF
less poisoned ; and in two and a half minutes
more even the minutest part of all mans fine
wrought organs has been visited and acted
upon by this poisoned fluid-thc tender, del
icate eye the wakeful ear the sensitive
nerves the heart, the brain; together with
the skin, the muscles, the bones throughout
their structure-in short, the entire being
There is not point in the humEn frame but
has been trayersed by vtiated blood-not a
point but must have suffered injury.