The Bismarck tribune., 1933-11-24
HOLDING THE BREATH

A normal person at rest can take
a full breath and then hold his breath
As seconds-that is the average, some
persons break at 80 seconds, some
not until a full minute.
But IL there is some impairment
Of the heart or the efficiency Of the
circulation. the time the individual
can hold his breath is shortened. II
1t falls below 20 seconds he should
leave a note asking st. Peter to call
a doctor.
Now and then some one solemnly
assures me that altho afflicted with
this and that serious malady he can
readily hold his breath fifty seconds
What of It? knew man who was
so sick he was dead and he had been
holding his breath for hours when I
gracefully bowed myself out.
Some students in California, having
nothing much the matter and MOTH
ing else to do, held their breath for
more than 13 minutes. But they pre-
pared for the stunt by several minutes
Of forced breathing first, to get the
carbon dioxide content Of the blood
and the air in the lungs away down
and the oxygen concentration away
up, and then filled the lungs with
pure oxygen just before they began
holding the breath.
Anybody can by IL or two minutes
OF moderately forced breathing
that is, deeper inhalations thru open
mouth and nose, and slightly forced
exhalations, at slightly more than
the normal rate per minute-so
charge the blood with oxygen and
lower the carbon dioxide tension In
it that he or she can readily hold
the breath two minutes.
Accumulation Of carbon dioxide, and
not diminution Of the oxygen, in the
air in the lungs, is what makes us
breathe.
In any case Of asphyxia where
artificial respiration is being applied,
it is a great advantage If instead of
air the victim can be made to breathe
a mixture Of air or oxygen with from
5 to 10 per cent. of carbon dioxide,
or from an inhalator-but never from
a pump or lung motor. Only Schaf-
er,s manual prone pressure should be
used to make the victim breathe.
II you are not sure you are pre-
pared to resuscitate in any emer-
gency, send for the illustrated booklet
"Resuscitation'' enclose dime and
stamped envelope bearing your ad-
dress).
The chief purpose Of the bellows
breathing exercise is to add the
booster pump effect to the circula-
ton, to aid the return Of blood thru
the veins to the right side Of the
heart, whence it is pumped into the
lungs for oxygenation.
One cannot actually increase the
absorption of oxygen by deep breath
ing. Any and every such squirt Of
deeper or faster breathing Is newt
ably compensated by q following per-
iod Of shallower or slower breath
ing, even by period Of no breath
ing, SO that the normal Level Of oxy-
gen and carbon dioxide in the blood
is regained in q few moments. AL
most any other exercise than forced
breathing will more certainly increase
the absorption OF oxygen In the body
and the metabolism rate.
It is best to try to forget all pre-
conceived notions about the way to
breathe, and especially the teachings
of physical culture" charlatans and
the like. No matter whether you are
soldier on parade, an athlete in
training or just plain person, you
will find it distinctly to your advan-
tage in every way to get rid of your
chesty complex and resume bellows
breathing where you left off thou
sand years ago.