The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-21
IA YOU BREATHE AND LIVE

One of the cardinal symptoms or
signs Of shock, whether the shock
Is due to injury, fright, henaorrhage.
or a surgical operation, - swallow
breathing. Somehow this sign Of
shock has not received as much at
tention rs other and more obvious
signs such as pallor, ashen and
cold, clammy skin, complete mus
cular relaxation or llmpness. dull
ness Of eyes and dilated (wide) pu.
pills, diminished sensibility 70 pain
or other feelings and impaired con-
sciousness or semi-unconsciou
From one Of the classical text.
books Of surgery international
Textbook Of Surgery published
forty years ago ! quote this bit
about shock:
'~The pallcr and GOODNESS Of
the surface In shock are due to
alterations In nutrition which
depend, in their turn, upon tro-
phic disturbances"
Heaven knows just what the
medical author intended to convey
by that ponderous term "trophic
disturbances"--but then, We doc.
tors have to pull one like that when
we try to explain something we
don't understand very well our
selves. Trophic Is o ten-dollar word
for nutritional, and nutrition, we
should remember, means the supply
Of oxygen to the cells and tissues Of
the body, as well as other essential
nutrients.
THE arrest Of tissue.meta-
mophis" (gosh all henlock, this
time 1t seems fairly certain that
the surgical word-wizard meant
what we call metabolism - the
combustion process, the oxidation
process that goes on constantly
in the BODY "leads to respiratory
disturbances" (excuse 1t, please,
| folks---a medical author has to
be constantly on guard lest he
make q positive statement and
some other shark pounce upon 1t
always safe-for better or worse,
for q debate. So disturbance" Is
who can tell? 1.-The blood, through
loss Of It's nourisihng properties,
being no longer capable Of prop.
erly stimulating the respiratory
centers."
One other sign (not symphony
Of shock not mentioned above, Is
extremely low blood pressure. Per-
haps this fall Of blood pressure is
the direct cause Of shock. Remem-
Der we explained in preceding talks
that pressure on the blood In the
arteries drives the blood through
the capillary bed or area--forces 1t
to seep or ooze through the tissue, be-
| tween the cells or fibres? 1t Is
there that the interchange Of oxy-
gen from blood to tissue cells and
carbon dioxide from tissue cells TO
blood occurs. Well, when the blood
pressure falls to the extremely low
level found in shock, the capillary
circulation slows almost to q fun
stop, and little oxygenation Of the
tissue cells occurs.
If the victim of shock can be
made 70 breathe more deeply
belly breathing, Of course-the
deeper breathing viii directly inn
prove blood pressure, capillary cir
culation, oxygenation, oxidation.
metabolism and mental and physt-
cal functions.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Ammonia Habit
Is there any danger in taking
about three drops Of strong am
monia In water three times day?
| I find that when I am tired and
my nerves are quivering I am
staedied by such q dose In glass
Of water. (MrS. v. Z. I'd
Answer-Three drops Of strong
ammonia water would be equivalent
to half q spoonful or more Of Aroo'
matte Spirits Of Ammonia-a USE
| full quick heart stimulant for emer.
gencies, but hardly advisable fol-
habitual use. Instead Of ammonia
try taking a glassful or more Of
milk when you get tired or let down
/ and supplement your diet with nan
q dozen pleasant tasting tablets Of
yitamin B-complex and vitamin Z
every day. ANY bracing effect o.
';steadying" you get from the am.
monia is mere fleeting stimulation
The extra milk and the essential
vitamins. however, Will give yov
lasting vite.
Voice and b. ID.
Several times ! have noticed you
remark. when speaking Of belly
breathing that your teachings
about It are true, Emusic teachers
TO the contrary Notwithstanding"
OF q dozen wind instrument players
and nearly as many teachers Of
voice that know, all are unani-
nous in their emphasis on this
point: Breathe from the stomach
not from the chest-try TO breathe
so deeply that your shoulders don"
rise TO cause the upper chest only
TO expand-good tone depends upor
an air column supported BY the dia'
phragm." Que no7 e WI
Answer-Why don't music teach.
ers tell me these things2 After all
brother. no one can breathe iron
the stomach" The stomach Is an
organ IN the abdomen. Send .
three-cent stamped envelope bear
ing your address. Cor instructions
for belly Breathing''-and Il YOU
call It anything else than that ]
won't know what you are asking for
Or inclose twenty-five cents with
the stamped self-addressed envelopl
for the booklet "EIow to Breathe
Not only singers and speakers, but
folks derive much benefit from reg
ular practice Of belly breathing.
(CouyFighk. lof4. John II. Ufii0 Col