Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-05


Some of our readers who may be far re-
moved from any opportunity of gymnastic
work in regular gvmnasiums, may feel that
there is little use in their trying to undertake
such work, however much they NAV need
physical development But they are mis-
taken. If one really is in earnest, much can
be done. 1t may be something like taking
medicine. for certainly there is less fun in
home exercise than in the gymnasium, but it
will soon become interesting and enjoyable
One of the first and most important things
for any one to do is to put into your lungs,
several times day, as large an amount of
pure air as possible. On this depends so
much the absolute oxygenizing of the blood,
which carries nutriment to every part of the
body. The amount of impure air which
people are willing to take into their lungs is
perfectly marvellous, Half dozen people
will sit in an ordinary sized room, with one
or two kerosene lamps, perhaps, which are
eating the same vital principle from the air
that the lungs need a whole evening, with
windows and doors tightly closed, and won
der why they feel so sleepy or headachey!
Could they be required to measure the air
capacity of the room, and compare it with
the amount of air vitiated by one person in
q given time, they would be surprised to find,
perhaps that, during the first hour, so much
oxygen has been taken from the air, and so
much carbonic acid and so many impurities
thrown into it, that, from that time they had
been breathing and rebreathing vitiated air,
which each respiration renders more and
more impure.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION,
Could they only watch the change in the
flow of the blood they would not only not
wonder they did not feel brilliant, but they
would be astonishel that the brain worked at
all, with such insufficient nourishment The
blood that flowed freely at first, and of a
bright scarlet color, would gradually grow
more sluggish in its action, and the color
would change slowly to a more and more
purple hue, indicating that it carried less and
less oxygen, the life giving principle, and
more and more of the clogging and poison
Gus elements. 1t is unfortunate this process
cannot be watched, but, if YOU really want
to be strong, see TO it that you give your
lungs plenty of good air, sleeping and wax
| ing
Another point you may not have thought
of. 1t is one thing, and the first one, to have
the air you want to breathe pure and abund-
| ant; the next thing is to know how to take 1t
| properly.
why, We breathe all the time You saw.
Very true, but most people breathe very
badly, giving only the upper cells of their
lungs any refreshment, while the lower cells
are painting, so to speak, or, rather, it is the
middle cells which get the most nutriment.
while the upper and lower lack it.
In ordinary inspiration the lower part of
| the lungs should be inflated first, and the
| upper chest should move little or not at all
| While this process Is going on, a certain set
| of muscles is constantly at work There i:
another set that is not needed except in case
| of fol ced inhalation and exhalation The
lungs need this extra feeding, and forced in
halation and exhalation should be INDUCED
| in two or three times a day
Unless you are sure you are goot
breather, You will best accomplish the de
sired end by lying fiat on your back. In thi.
position the back muscles are kept stationary
and the shoulders held down. while the
diaphragm will more surely be depressed
When your forced inspiration is taken as il
should be, the lower chest will rise strongly
first; then the side muscles will swell, caus
ing at the same time slight depression agar
in front; then the muscles of the upper chest
Many people suck the diaphragm up, appar
emily, actually making the lower chest
smaller Raise the lower chest MUSCULAR,
first, if you have this habit, and then fore
the breath in