Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-01-09
rhel Aar oer eneATHlNe.
Properly Exercised ,It viii Prevent or RE-
tard Pulmonary Affections.

Properly
tard Pulmonary Affections.
DR.. Mays will be surprised at the In
ference which some paragrapher has
drawn from his paper in the August
Century on Breathing Movements as a
Cure" which inferen e is to the effect
that the wearing of corscts prevents con-
sumption in women and is therefore
strong point Oh the side of those who
wish to and do wear these articles of
elothing.
Although this conclusion is possible
perhaps from the premises presented, it
is a hasty and surface one, admitting
wide qualification, and, moreover, 1t in
troduces an issue upon which the paper
does not bear in any degree. In his re-
searches for data upon his subject DR..
Mays secured tracings of the breathing
movements of several classes of women
full blooded Indians, partially and semi
civilized and civilized, getting results
proportionally different.
He found that the civilized woman.
accustomed for generations to restrict
ing clothing, uses the upper part of her
breathing apparatus more thoroughly
than her savage or semisavage sister or
than do men.
And as we are all supplied with more
lung surface than we habitually need, 1t
chances that the portions left unemploy-
ed by Indian females and men, but per-
force brought into service by the corset
wearing woman, is the upper part or
apex of the lungs.
And this, it seems, is the most common
seat and genesis of pulmonary troubles.
Now, as the most reliable statistics
show that women enjoy greater i'm
munity from consumption than men, a
connection between the two facts is sug-
gested. 1t is not established or even
positively assumed.
But it is Just here that some careless
reader and hasty writer has seized upon
and made his "point"-viz, that corsets
prevent consumption.
The faulty nature Of such an argu-
ment in favor of lacing is quickly ap-
parent to any one who will finish the
paper. All the serious vices of the habit
remain unmoved by it, and its accidental
virtue, as DIR. Mays points out, though
not in this Connection, is readily gained
IN q muCn UeGIeT way
The fact which the paper does bring
out is the value of right breathing as 6
means to avoid and retard pulmonary
affections. The author suggests some
simple exercises that any mother will dC
we'll to have carried out in her family o.
children. The best of these is to swing
the arms backward on a level with th'
shoulders as far as possible during eacl
inspiration, bringing them together il
front on the same level during each ex
piration, or to bring the hands slowly Il
the highest point above the head during
inspiration. letting them fall gradual!
to the side as the breath exhales. Th
caution is added that deep breath mus
be taken and slowly expelled to max
these operative.
Another very serviceable chest exe1
cise," says the paper, lis to take dee
inspiration, and during expiration coun
or sing as long as possible A male wit
a good chest capacity can count up to
or so. while in a female even with goo
lungs this power is somewhat reduced
Practice of this sort will slowly develo
the lungs, and the increased ability
count longer is a measure of the improve
ment going on within the chest. u
again, the taking of six or eight full an
deep breaths in succession every hou
during the day, either while sitting
work or while walking out in the ope
air, will have very beneficial effect. -
New York Times.