The Detroit times., 1915-10-21
What Good Lungs Mean
~ n. ApDINGToN BRUCE.
Author OF The Riddle OF Personal MY
Psychology and Parenthood. etc

Mot people do not sufficiently appreciate 'he
Importance OF their lungs They kno" that !.
tneir lungs become diseased their nealth sur
fers But they have very impertect ldeA %
,ha effects o: good lung action. not only on thc
state of their bodies, but also on the state OF
their minds. -.
Consequently comparatively few people make
Tho effort which everybody ought 20 MAKE 10
secure as powerful lung development as posi-
BILE. ,-.,
In a remarkable book entitled "Pedagogical
AnthropOlogy, the Italian educator ana al
thropologist Maria Montessort sums UP aonllTa
bly the reasons for conscientious and constant
attention TO lung hygiene This III part l.
what she says;
THE lungs are the organs that acquire the
oxygen from the outside environment ana tnis
oxygen when taken up by the hemoglooin II
he blood will serve to oxygenate the tissues
OF the entire organism. and thus aid IN the pro
cess OF cellular metabolism.
"A large supply of oxygen stimulates this IN
terchange OF matter, not only because the
organism "a a whole Is enriched IN the SUP
stance (oxygenl essential 20 this process but
because the heart responds TO the increased
activity OF the lungs by more energetic puISa-
tons calculated TO set the blood circulating IN
far greater quantities.
III is no exaggeration to say that our whole
physiological life is enclosed within the thoraX'
because the digestive system does nothing more
thar prepare blood that is untitled TO irrtgate
the tissues for the purpose OF supplying them
with nutriment II is only after this blood has
passed through the luuSS tHdt II - NIdn-iVfu
into oxygenated blood and is adapted to assiul-
ilation.
Consequently the intestines prepare nothing
more than the raw material, and II is the lungs
which perform the service Of perfecting IT,
Whoever has inadequate lungs is for that
reason alone a person who necessarily receives
insufficient nutriment, and frequently Is also
melancholic Melancholia accompanies every
form OF physiological decadence. On the con-
trary, persons with ample lungs are generally
serene OF spirit and joyous.
In fact the emotion Of Joy IL al the same
time both the cause and the consequence Of an
active circulation OF oxygenated blood"
Also. owing 10 the importance OF the brain
being well nourished by oxygenated blood.
mental power is affected favorably or the re-
verse by the condition Of the lungs
Thus there physical. moral. and mental
reasons for practising lung hygiene the basic
principles Of which may be briefly stated
Take every precaution 20 secure for your
lungs. whether you are outdoors or indoors an
abundant supply OF pure air Impure air, be
sides being lacking In oxygen. contains sub
stances which are positively weakening 10 the
lungs
Practice slow. deep breathing Deep breath.
ing brings all parts Of the lungs into play and
thereby strengthens them.
Make IL point 10 speak clearly When you
speak clearly you exercise lung muscles 10 an
extent impossible 10 those who mouth their
words or otherwise speak In slovenly fashion
Don't sloJch when sitting standing or walk.
ing. slouching attitude. by COMPRISING the
chest Is weakening 20 the lungs
These rules are not hard TO follow Their
adoption viii mean much to you in the way Of
Improving your health. promoting your happl
ness, and increasing your efficiency