The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-05-21
4 BIG PAIR or LUNGS

A BIG PAIR or LUNGS
4 PI,enomenal Human Being Who win
Never Die Of Consumption.
[Chicago News.l
Several days ago a tall, well-propor-
toned man entered Clark street cloth
ing store. He wanted to buy suit of
clothes. A salesman with pipestem legs
and banged mustache smirked his happi-
est, trotted around industriously for
ten minutes, and finally spread be-
fore the tall man number Of now and
choice patterns. Tho vest is all care
TO try, said the latter, with q meaning
smile. Onc was put on. Tho salesman
cheerfully guaranteed that the buttons
would withstand all kinds of weather
and rough treatment. The tall man
Strengthened up, opened his mouth, and
went through rapid process Of inhala-
ton. OFF ficw the horn buttons in all
directions. The salesman looked aghast,
and several others gathered around to
share his unspeakable surprise. Two
other vests were tested, and the but
tons suffered similar fate. Il guess
you can't suit me-" said the tall, we'll
proportioned man, and left. A few
minutes later he paused in front Of q
lung-tester on Washington street. He
paid 10 cents for blow. Then ho blew
into the long rubber tube, and when,
after having registered the full capacity
of tho machine, he blew chunk OF rub
Der out of the tube, the tall, well-pro-
portioned man grinned sardonically,
said it was really too bad, and walked
on about his business.
HE swells up like a turkey gobblcr, !"
said DR.. $. A. McWilliams, in the am
phithcatre Of the College of Physicians
and Surgeons, and the medical man re-
ferrcd to tho tall, well-proportioned
man-Thomas Wilson. Nr. Wilson is q
blacksmith. A number OF medical stu
dents and representatives Of the press
had just witnessed his wonderful power
of chest expansion. He said that when
he was boy, twenty years ago In Scot
land, he saw . circus performer exhibit
ing tho expansibility Of his chest. After
very little practice he could excel the
circus man, and no had never since met
q man whose breathing powers equaled
his own. He had practioed nearly
every day for nearly twenty years, and
had never experienced any i'll effects.
In the lecture-room he stripped to the
waist, showing strong, full chest, and
normal muscular development. His
chest measurement in repase was found
to be thirty eight inches. Expelling tho
air from his 'lngs his chest contracted
to thirty four and half. Allowing his
lungs to fill slowly, his chest began to
swell until it was seemingly twice as
large as the natural size. After it had
remained fully expanded for moment
DIR. McWilliams asked il the operation
was painful. Wilson answered mot at
all" repeating the contraction and ex-
pansion SO quickly that it made the
doctors eyes bulge out Of his head and
the students burst into shouts of
laughter. Tho chest measured when
fully expanded forty-two and . half
inches, showing an expansile capacity
of eight inches. DR.. McWilliams said
it was a most remarkable case, and he
had never wit messed anything like it.
About q year ago DR.. Steele had
called his attention to the case of a man
possessing such lung development. On
consulting his notebook the doctor
found reference had been had to tho
same Thomas Wilson that WAS now be-
fore them. Dr.. McWilllams added that
daily exercise in expanding the lungs
was highly beneficial. whenever |
have slight cold, said he, 81 practice it
for q day or two, and the cold leaves me.
This man can never have consumption
SO long as he can thus expand and con-
tract the air-cells in his lungs To
satisfy the curiosity of the students DR..
McWilliams said without trace Of a
smile: so long as he can do this, ca
tarrhal Inflammation Of the mucous
membrane will not extend into the pull
monary alyeoli, and the proliferation
of the alveolar epithelium, and conse.
qucnt cessation are prevented" Wilson
nearly tainted in his chair, and the stu.
dents rushed off in search Of medical
dictionaries.