Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-01

and stinulus to those hoers. respectively.
The spaces contain lymph.s This is the nuid
which constantly transudeA from the blood
vessels all over the body 1t contains the
soluble constituents OF the body, along with
a few corpuscles. 1t circulates very slowly,
for in the human being there is no lymph
heart such as Is found in the reptiles.
When. however, muscle contracts, the
contained lymph spaces and vessels are
squeezed between the surrounding fibers,
whereby their contents are expressed and
find their way into the blood circulation
once more.
Now the lymph had taken from the blood
the nutrtive substances which go to feed
the cells of the body. The,musele cells had
taken the nourishment they required from
the lymph and had given in return excre-
mentitious substances; that Is to say, the
products manufactured in the course OF
their life work. Everyone Is familiar with
the need of changing the water in which
plants live, all living beings excreting poi
sonous substances as the result of their
activity. Each muscle cell Is living be-
ing, though like many of the lower forms Of
life, incapable Of living, except in associa-
ton with other beings. When the muscle
contracts, this poisonous lymph is squeezed
out of the stagnant pools in which 1t has
collected. In the blood stream, these pol
sons are picked out by the cells In the kid
neys, as they are pumped to that organ
with the arterial blood.
Effect of Exercise on the Heart.
An effect of so much lymph being moved
into the circulation is to load up the heart
with an increased amount of fluid This
causes 1t to beat more rapidly, and to per-
form more work In order to keep the in
creased blood supply moving. The working
muscles require an Increased supply Of
blood while they are working, chiefly that
they may obtain a larger amount of oxy-
gen. That the blood may obtain more
oxygen 1t must pass more rapidly to the
lungs which again causes the heart to beat
more rapidly. The increased expansion of
the chest and greater rapidity of breathing
again reacts on the heart by fastening the
circulation in the lungs. and so compelling
the heart to increase its speed in order to
dispose of this increased flow of blood This
increased rapidity Of the heart, of course
increases the amount of blood pressure in
the arteries; and it can be readily under
stood that the greater the pressure in the
arteries the more rapidly will the blood
flow forward; that is to say, the more rap
idly will 1t return to the heart. Hence all
the factors intensity the rapidity of the
heart and the force Of the circulating blood.
Results of This.
Every one Is familiar with the results of
a heavy flood in cleansing a slow-movfng
ditch Of stagnant water; even weeds are
then swept away. What I have described
is a circulatory flood. Innumerable back
waters, corners of the circulation where
movement is sluggish, where poisonous
matters collect, where even weeds may
grow, are then swept clean by the revivi-
flying food of oXygen-laden arteral blood.
Bacteria represents the weeds. These are
the general effects of muscular exercise.
AS with plant life, drainage is as necessary
as irrigation. Muscular exercise affects
both: the result is an abundant crop of
muscular tissue. But the most important
effect of muscular exercise is indirect. 1t
In Inc hn oh do, i,.,1
CANS Just under the rib Is that large gland,
the liver. Every particle of food we eat
has to pass through It; changes Of great
importance take place In the food there;
the lymph-f1ow stagnateS very easily, be-
cause the force of the blood stream through
1t is very slight, owing to its great diminu-
tion by the long course it's blood has pre-
viously taken through the capillaries of the
stomach, spleen and intestines. Persons
who do not take muscular exercise are well
known to suffer from sluggish liver. Imme-
diately above the liver, however, Is the
diaphragm or midrif that large band of
muscle which Is the chief agent In the ex-
pansion the lung undergoes in breathing.
Every breath we take has a pumping action
on the liver. Sitting long in zone position,
however, very often with half-filled lungs
and a minimum movement OF the muscles
of respiration, does not bring into play this
pumping action to anything like the extent
necessary for the healthy circulation of the
blood through the liver.a-A stopping posi-
ton especially favors stagnaiion, but in
active exercise the movements of the dia-
phragm are extensive. as can be seen by any
one who has watched painting athlete; so
that the mere increase offtthe respiratory
activity caused by active exercise of no
matter what kind tendg to remove a stag
nant condition of the liver. But the inteli-
gent reinforcement of this natural effect
can be secured without the necessity of
such violence of effort as is necessary to
produce the pumping action desired
Breathing Exercises
Below the ribs the frame of the body is
continued down to, the pelvis by a wall of
muscle. These muscles can be powerfully
contra cted. and when so contra cted all to-
gether they compress the contents of the
abdomen, so that with very little exertion,
by pressing the diaphram downwards, and
the abdominal muscles inwards, the liver
may be effectually emptied of lymph in q
very short time. Exactly the same effect
is produced on all the other abdominal or
gans; but in addition, the motive power of
the stomach over it's contents Is reinforced,
similarly with the intestineS. A similar
effect can be produced by massage, but in
this procedure, the counter pressure of the
diaphram Is lacking and the activity of the
circulation is not to the same extent stimu-
lated, owing to the same desire for oxygen
on the part of the tissues not being felt.
The whole process may be initiated by
squeezing a sponge in water; when the air
is forced out, and on letting go, water is
sucked in. Corsets, by preventing expan-
sion, act just as does holding a sponge un--
der water. 1t never completely fills up; it
only works to a portion of it's capacity. Peo-
pie whose livers are thus compressed are
only half alive.
Object Of Physical Exercise.
We find, then, the leading function Of
muscular exercise is cleansing by direct
pressure. from the abdominal organs and
the muscles of the body. poison-laden
lymph, which is then rapidly purified by the
kidney, and in flushing out the brain and
the organs not susceptible to direct pressure
with a stream of highly oxygenated blood,
travelling at a rapid rate and al a high pres
sure. This is the cause of the mental eX-
hilaration experienced when exercising in
what is known strong air.
Failing this, the stagnant liver pours into
the blood constant stream of fatigue-pro-
ducing substances. in some men more. in
others less, in proportion to the natural
force of the circulation. to diet and to the
competence of the liver, kidney and other
eXcretory organs.
Exercise Must Be Intelligent.
If 1t is true that we live in scientific