Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-04-02
BETTER THAN MEDICINE.

BETTER THAN MEDICINE.
Regular and Deep Breathing WIN
Strengthen and Expand the Lunx,.
Comparatively few people realize how
much their health and vitality depends
upon the way they breathe. A rood
supply OF fresh and fully oxygenized
air is ofgreater Importance to maintain
'ssrensth than rich and nourishing food.
IN .1ar too many cases food Injuries
rather than helps. because loading the
system up with impurities which can
not De removed, except with abundant
supply OF fresh air filling the lungs, and
tnos brought in contact with the blood
as 1t passes through the heart, and is
thus sent to the extremities, of tho
system. And all tho blood in the
body is thus pumped through the
heart every four minutes. II at any
time the air is not duly oxygentzed
1t can not fully perform its office in
cleansing the blood of impurities A
sluggish circulation results as a matter
OF course. A slight cold taken when
the blood is in this condition naturally
settles on the lungs, and the dread de-
stroyer in our Northern climate, tuber.
'cular consumption, soon hurries the VIC
tim to his grave.
These evils are remediable without
medicine to any one who will take care
to supply the lungs with full amount
OF fresh, pure air. Though the lungs
may be already partially closed, and the
premonitory symptoms OF consumption
be present, careful attention to dozen
breathing, taking frequent full inspira.
lions OF fresh air through the nostrils,
will often effect cure. The writer
speaks from personal experience in this
matter. When a boy he suffered severe
attack of Inflammation of the lungs,
which the doctor on examination de.
'clared had left one Of tho lungs almost
wholly hepatized and the other badly
affected. For several winters thereafter
the writer was threatened with consump-
ton, but by hard work on the farm he
was in two or three years entirely cured,
and the inactive part of the lung restored
to as good condition as that of most peo-
pie. In tn intervals of farm work,
often Strengthening up while digging
bitches for under-drains, he took care to
breathe several breaths, swelling the
lungs as far as possible and then slowly
respiring. This atf1rst was accompanied
by severe pains in the lung, but with prac.
tice the amount of air inhaled gradually
increased. The chest expanded, and
after two or three gears of this practice
the doctor who made the first examina.
ton sounded the lungs again and found
them in good condition.
The benefits of deep breathing are
greatly increased by having a cold and
dry atmosphere. Breathed, as this
should be, through the nostrils it is not
fully warmed until it enters the lungs,
and its expansion by heat in the lungs
stretches the air cells and enables sub.
sequent inspiration to be much fuller.
If there are any impurities on the lungs
the oxygen of the air unites with them,
and removes them. In the writer's
case Inflammation had left the lungs
partially filled with blood, so that in.
stead Of being elastic they were dull and
heavy like piece of liver. In this con.
dition, unless speedily checked. tuber.
cles are almost sure to form, and these
are even more difficult to remove, be-.
cause they indicate impurities in the
blood.
No better recipe for maintaining
health can be given than to exercise
much in the open air, to breathe through
the nostrils, keeping the mouth closed,
and if the work be such as to cramp the
body, to straighten up frequently and
take several full inspirations. Chop
ping in the woods in cold weather Sc
cures to the worker most of these con-
ditions, and with little care can Sc
cure them all. 1t ought not to be diff.
cult to remember that the mouth is to
be kept closed, and all the breathing,
no less than the full inspiration, is to
be through the nose. This is especially
important if the lungs are weak. Breath
ing through the mouth brings air toe
roughly and suddenly in the lungs, es.
pecially in cold weather, while through
the nose the air has opportunity to be
warmed and partly expanded before
reaching the air cells, where its expan
g