Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-05

READ BEFORE THE ANNUAL INSTITUTE A
a

READ BEFORE THE ANNUAL INSTITUTE AT
JEsUp-BY Miss MAGGIE COOPER.
Respiration or breathing, is the pro
cess by which air is taken into and ex
PEELED from the lungs. The object Of
breathing is to introduce oxygen into the
blood and to expel carbonic acid gas
from it, through the medium ofthe lungs
Respiration is performed by two acts
When we take air into our lungs, the
ribs are elevated, the chest expands, the
diaphragm contracts, and its apex sinks
almost to level with its margins, the
air reaches into our lungs, and we cal
the act inspiration.
Expclling the air from the lungs is call
ed expiration. Laughing, sobblng, sing
ing, and hiccoughing are all produced by
sudden and spasmodic cOntractiOns and
relaxatiOns Of the diaphragm, causing
the air to suddenly rush into and to be
expelled from the lungs.
The ordinary time that person can
hold his breath is from twenty to thirty
seconds yet if we take several long
brcaths, and expel all the foul air from
our lungs; We will be able to hold our
breath from one and half to two min.
utes. This power is also increased by
practice, for instance, it is said that the
pearl fishers of India can hold their
breath three and four minutes at time.
The capacity of the lungs Of an ordin'
airy healthy man is about 800 cubic in
ches, or more than gallon. In quiet
breathing we use only about 20 cubic In
ches at each inspiration, or less than .
pint, it being about one sixteenth part OF
fl,c whole amount of air in the lungs.
We breath about once to every four beats
of the heart,or Is times a minute; it will,
therefore, take little les than min
ute to change all air in the lungs. inns
process warns the air before it reaches
the delicate mucuS membranes OF the
lungs and protects them. As generally
given in books, air is composed of oxy-
gen onc-fi andn itrogcn four hfths. In
addition to the above gases, it contains
small and variable traces of carbonic acid,
aoucsous vapors, nitric acid and aroma
of flowers, sc. The oxygen and nitro
gen in the air arc merely interminglcd
with each other, but not chemically COM
bined; yet their proportions are SO de-
finite that the slightest variations are de-
trimental to animals, rs well as human
life, and if considerable, will even pro-
ducc death.
Oxygen is . very stimulating sub
stance, and cannot be taken into the
lungs in its pure state without causing
suffering, and If long continued, death;
yet by mixing it with four times It's
amount Of nitrogen, II becomes an mo-
cuous compound, and can be brcathed
with comfort aud health.
The oxygen air is food for the red
rlobules ofthe blood, and if withheld from
it, this vitalizing fluid becomes impure
and unfit to sustain life.
The demand for food and drink ls
made known to us by \ sensation ofhun-
ger and thirst; the demand for air il
expressed to us by an oppressive feeling
called suifocation, which induces us to
seek fresh air.
All Of us have felt the oppressive Ct
fects on our lungs by breathing air which
had become foul in consequence Of the
amount of carbonic acid and other nox-
ious gases with which the air had been
filled, In a confined place, such rs church
es. concert rooms, or by entering ~
crowded car in the morning which had
been occupied during the night. with lit
tie or no attention given TO ventilation. /
Breathing vitiated air interferes with
the healthy development Of our bodies,
and greatly predisposcs to disease, es-
pccially to consumption. fiA se.a
Thousands OLIVES are annually sacri'
feed to the god Of foul air.
History furnishes many painful instsn'
Gee Of III effects Of over crowdiay or poor
ventilation.
In the British army, when the barracks
were constructed regardless Of tho guam
tity Of air given to each soldier, many
died Of consumption; but whom they
were fed on larger quantity Of pure air.
dsersassd ono third.
Inl750, Of one hundred and my ok
En- elishmen Imprisoned in the Black Hole
Of Calcutta, in . room eighteen feet
square. with only two small windows, on
the same side Of the room. only twenty
lhree. q the end Of eight hours, survived.
"After the battle Of Austerlits three
hundred prisoners were crowded into