THE NEWEST FAD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7014, 1 February 1901, Page 4

THE NEWEST FAD.

A NOVELTY IN PHYSICAL CULTURE. THE "BREATHING- CURE." An enterprising lady who lives in London has hit upon, a novelty in physical culture, and promises to make a fortune put of it. The " breathing cure " is her speciality. Nature had 1 provided us with lungs, bub apparently has " m ot endowed all of ua with sufficient intellect to make proper use of them, and. fez suffer accordingly. The Kensington," lady' has opened a" school to teach members or her own sex how to breathe themselves into upright, supplelimb, d, sound-hearted damsels. Of course, peo.pie are sconing, but wlien you see a podgy lady of uncertain age fining down into "quite a shapely woman, a skinny maid-en of twenty filling out into a plump, well-developed candidate for matrimony, delicate people becoming capable of fatiguing work,- and slouching ■ girls transfcrmimg into graceful damsels, it is calculated to make the mockers pause. Tha breathing cure is apparently simplicity itself. You have' no " Sandow developers " to buy, no diuriiibbells to wield, but, having dispensed! with' your stays, you attire yourself in knickerbockers and a loose skirt, and, either alone or in company, you place your hands on your hips, throwing your shoulders well back, and you draw a great deep breath which expands your lungs and! imparts strength to ! tihe muscles of the body. Of course, each case has to be treated differently, and the exercise you perform depends oo the muscles or organs you wish to develop. All that is necessary is a floor to lie on and! the necessary complement of arms and legs to move and kick. You feel supremely ridiculous, and look ib ; but numbers who have been cured of outward- physical disfigurement and' internal weakness testify to the beneficial effects of the treatment.