LUNGS AND BREATHING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CX, Issue 13216, 27 August 1903, Page 6

LUNGS AND BREATHING.

THE EVILS OF CORSET,S. LECTURE BY DR GREENWOOD. Dr C. D. Greenwood delivered a: lecture on “ Lungs and Breathing,” ini the rooms of the Chnistchnrcb Sandow School, last evening. Mr F. A. Homibrook, instructor of the School, occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of pupils and past pupils. The lecturer said that a well-dev eloped body was essential to general health, and as an apostle of physical culture the name of Sandow was worthy of the highest honours. In that physical culture the complete development of the mechanism of breathing was of the very highest importance, yet it was a fact that not one civilised man in twenty understood how to draw a proper breath. Many people threw back their shoulders, and thought that they were filling their lungs with ais, while in reality they wene doing nothing of the sort. In order to understand wherein their fault lay, it was necessary to have some knowledge of tire construction of tho breathing apparatus. The lungs were shaped noughly like a pyramid, with the ribs round the sides add the large muscle called the diaphragm underneath. The spaces between -the ribs were occupied by the costal muscles". Diaphragmatic breathing, by the motion of the diaphragm, was generally characteristic of males and costal breathing, by the motion of the ribs, of females. The chief object of breathing was the aeration of the blood, and good health was impossible unless this operation/ was performed in an efficient manner. The air which had performed l its duty and given oxygen in exchange ion im-

purities to the blood must be ejected, and pure, fresh air substituted, and if a portion of the lungs was riot used in breathing, this necessary clearance was not properlyperformed. The other objects of breathing wene the removal of impurities from the | system, the assistance of the heart by the alternate expansion and contraction of the chest, and the production of the voice. - For all.of these objects correct breathing was of the highest importance. The lungs should be entirely filled, both ribs and diaphragm being used, and then emptied as far as was possible. If the lungs were properly developed the muscles would practically develop themselves, and sound health, strength and “staying” capacity would follow. The influence of dress on breathing was infinitely greater than most people supposed. Athletes recognised this by stripping as far as Mrs Grundy would allow, and the Greeks, with no suoh dictator, had stripped altogether for their games. In. this matter of dress, ladies were, of course, the chief offenders against the laws of Nature, but ■men were by no means free from blame. Tight waistbands and belts were almost - as obstructive of free breathing as. were corsets. In regard to this latter’ garment, it was sometimes urged that ladies breathed only with their ribs, through a natural sex difference from men. It had been- proved, however, by scientific observers, that woman in a state of nature breathed in the same manner as man, using the diaphragm muscles. It was only when the decrees of civilisation put her into a sort of splint that she adopted the unnatural course of using the upper part of her chest only. The doctor illustrated his meaning by placing a corset borrowed from a well-known local millinery shop beside a copy of tbe Venus de Milo,

the contrast being striking enough to produce roars of laughter. He said that he called it suicidal and criminal for women to wear'such garments. He .spoke strongly, because he saw practical illustrations of the evil of it every day of his life. Proper breathing meant pure bipod,, good health, and a clear skin. Tt meant-proper 'irc-ala-tion through the digestive ‘ organs, doing away with dyspepsia ; it meant the prevention, or even cure,.of consumption, and,'in may cases, the cure of asthma. Consumption was very often due to absolute neglect of a part of the lungs, which, through long disuse, became weakened, and so, readily susceptible to disease. It could be pared in a great number of cases by the -systematic development of the lungs, and by the breathing only of pure air, and there were people in Christchurch at that time, who had had proof of this in their own persons. He believed that half the -diseases which worked such havoc among civilised peoples were due to this lack of lung training;, with the consequent retention- of impurities in, the body, and the lack of , proper Ventilation in the modern'houses. He confidently looked l forward to the time when, with the increase of general knowledge of Nature’s laws,' such figures as Sandow’s would be the rule rather than the exception. After answering a r number of question's, the speaker. was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of the Chairman. ' ' 1 ; Mr Homibrook stated that the next- medical lecture in connection with the 1 school would he delivered on Friday, September 11, by Dr Talbot, on “ Joints and Levers'.” The heart gets weary, but never gets old.—Shenstono. •