The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-26


life. When people come to me to be treat
ed for lung trouble 1 put them through
a course of physical training, beginning
with the breathing exercises, which are
the most important of ali.
II the patient is woman L encourage
her to wear clothing comfortably loose, 50
as to allow fun expansion of the lower
part of the lungs. Then / show her
how to breathe. AS most women habit
ually use only the upper part of the lungs
| have my women patents begin by draw
ing in the breath through the nostrls
slowly expanding the diaphragm and hll-
ing the lower part OF the lungs, then the
upper part, till every air cell is full; then
exhaling very slowly through the slight,
ly opened mouth. When the
lungs are apparently emptied OF
air. 1 show the patient how 90 draw in
the muscles of the abdomen, and contrac,
the lungs still further, forcing out the
large quantity of residual air which az.
ways remains even after an ordinary ex.
piraton.
At first these breathing exercises may bt
decidedly painful, and il so. "a person
should always stop just short of the point
where pain begins. 1t Will soon be observ-
ed that with each effort to breathe deep
ly the unpleasant sensation comes later
and after time 1t win disappear alto
gether, while a free, exhilarated exultant
feeling takes It's place.
These breathing exercises should be re-
peated at short intervals many times dur
ing the day, always taking care that the
air of the room Is fresh. After a few
days the patient will find herself breath
ing with her who.e lungs almost uncon-
sciously. There are several minor breath
Ing exercises. but the one just mentioned
If persisted in. will work wonders in a
very short time.
Advocates the Bicycle.
Where the process of breaking down oil
the lung tissue called consumption has act.
ually began. l advise the patient, IL pos
sible, to seek a mild climate during the
coolest months of winter though this Is
not always necessary. l am also a strong
advocate of the bicycle, because. IL for M
other reason, the exercise makes a per.
son puff and blow drawing the air into
the lungs and forcing it out again.
There is simple little device which
have found very beneficial In some cases
1t is little tube which can be placed II
the mouth, and after the air has been in
hailed through the nostrils il can be yer,
slowly exhaled through the tube. TIL,
special benefit of this device comes from
the fact that II Is impossible to exhai
suddenly through the tube. and the air i
allowed TO remain in the lungs long enough
to properly do its work of publication o
the blood. If one cannot readily get on
of these tubes, a large straw will answe
the purpose quite as well.
There is another thing 1 want to touci
upon, that is the exercising of the sola
piexus. II is the most important. no
only in pulmonary troubles, but in al
kinds of nervous disorders. The sola
plexus is an important nerve center 10
Gated in the region of the stomach. s,
much depends upon the proper action o
this bundle of nerves that IL has been re
ferred to by some writer's. as "the secon,
BRAIN" The person should lie perfectly
fiat on the back, relax every muscle il
the body for moment, then rapidly ans
strongly raise and lower the diaphragm
about score OF times. This exercise
stimulates the brain and nervous system
to remarkable degree. and the effect O
the brain and mind on the body opens ui
a practically limitless fed for speculation
and experiment. But that's anothe
story, as Kipling would say.
T. w. Topham NJ. d.