The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-20
WONDERS OF THE HUMAN LUNGS.
Six Hundred Million Air Cells Aid in
Purifying the Blood

]
| The importance of the lungs as a means
/ Of publication Of the blood and Of promot-
I ing The general welfare of the human or
/ ranism may be inferred from their protec-
ton. so nearly surrounded by strong.
bony structures The same may be in
ferred from their constant action with
out a minutes vacation. ordinarily. at
any one time, from the dawn of life TIL
It's close.
Nor are these five lobe servants, In their
general activity. controlled by mental in
nuences-wul pOwer-but continue their
activity whether we are awake or asleep.
whether we are sensible or insensible -
/ managing their own affairs. Their appro-
pirate mission IS the supply Of pure air
TO the system, the most important design
Of which Is its publication. carrying Off
articles Of impure and dead matter.
! which are ever accommodating as the re-
suit Of age and the exercise Of the organic
functions
TO effect this very important result, this
publication of body constantly becom-
ing impure, of necessity, there are W0,OOJ,-
900 (by estimateJ Of air cells, all OF these
being more or less inflated by each breath
As small as these must be, IT is estimated
that the outer surface of each has an aver
age of five minute blood vessels, contain
ing the blood from the general system sent
there for revitalzng. that IT may continue
to sustain and care for the body.
The theory Is that the iron In the blood
attracts the oxygen of the breath through
the membranes, resulting in an actual
combustion, burning waste matters, and,
In this way sustaining the warmth OF the
body, our clothing doing nothing In this
regard beyond regulating the escape OF
the heat thus produced and preventing
the natural ingress Of the cold from with
out After the burning of these refuse
matters by which dealy gas is produced,
as in all combustion, which with what
we may call ashes, are drawn through
these membranes entering the air cells,
soon 10 be thrown out by the expired
breath as this gas Is particularly poison
Gus TO the lungs.
That such impurities may not be re-
breathed, they ascend, being lighter than
the cool air till the poison gas becomes
cool when IT falls to the surface OF the
earth. where il is absorbed as one OF the
most important Of the fertilizers. Vegc-
tation being sustained more in its work
Of purifying the air than by the soil. The
average capacity Of the lungs OF a full
sized man is about one gallon though
only about one-half Of the air is thrown
out at any one time, the rest remaining,
aiding in the publication Of the body.
1t is estimated that the lungs are sup
piled annually with 100, 900 cubic feet Of air
breathing 100000 times, purifying 800
tons Of blood. in view Of such a stupen-
dous amount Of toll performed by the
lungs, with the Importance Of this purifi-
cation Of the body without which health
and life can be continued but a short
time, it is Of the utmost importance that
we have generous supply Of pure arr,
while the natural supply would be sufi-
Gent, probably, if the population of the
earth should be increased a hundredfold.
particularly since the vegetable world
Is constantly employed in its publication.
We have simply TO open our doors and
windows. freely breathing our part in
doing which we shall not rob our neigh
bors.