EXERCISE AND RESPIRATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4295, 2 March 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

EXERCISE AND RESPIRATION.

(A Medical 'Woman in "The P, 'v.-T-K Friend.’ - > Motion a law of nature: all animal life- k full of activity. l-iem.'i;’.i;n,i quietly in closely-heated rooms frequently causes disease. V. irlnr.it cxerta-e food cannot be assimilated, the ]. re c v o-■ of depurition are imperfect. the mr.roc.s IO'O tone and pcwer. and t.:e uer-.uas ■-..'■stem becomes prostrated. On the other hand, excessive labour often provi s injurious: some mn-clcs are overtaxed, and local strains produced. It i.-, tlicrcfere, difficult to giro diivctiems applicable to all classes. Kv’rct-e should not be carried to actual fatigue, hut a ness that makes the bed tool "geed" can do no harm. General housework 1desirable, avoiding ihe more labonous portion, as lifting, washing, scrubbing etc. in housewont one brines into action nearly all the muscles ot the body, with the exception of some of those of the trunk and those used in deep respiration ; and even th 'so would not lack development-"if clothing caused no restrictions, in the ccio'se of her housework a woman readies stoops, turns, walks, lilts, and climbs stairs. If she Jia-s no function:;! derangement, walking and carriage exercise are invaluable. See cannot be too much in the open air. Properly clothed, brisk walking brings uuo action nearly every muscle, and is invigorating to every function. Wearing conimon■sense shoes, having the arms free, and the dress short and loose, one can accustom herself to walking Jog di-taiiccs with positive benefit. Light gardening cannot bo too highly recommended. It has the advantage (it being out of doors. It gives postures that bring into action the imu-cd muscles of the trunk and abdomen. Coining in contact with the earth carries oil ’ an excess of electricity. Besides, the result, cither in a supply of fresh vegetables for the table or in- floral decorations. is always satisfactory. My civ a experience is that getting out and working in the open air is a panacea for ennui, indigestion, torpid liver, anxiety, despondency, indeed for any .slight physical derangement c:r mental disturbance. If yon possess no garden to cultivate, lying flat on the ground without blanket or pillow—provided the grass be dry and no recent rain lias fallen—answers a good purpose. More rest can be obtained in live minutelike this than in five hours upon sofa, or hod in the house. Although I am fully .aware that this is contrary to ail tradition and teaching, many have proved its value. What ■arc th© objects to he gained b' exercise? Evidently absorption, nutrition and excretion. All these /unctions must, be kept at a. normal .standard, so that the processes of assimilation and waste can be perfectly performed. The involuntary muscles of respiration mini he. educated. Full and deep breatJiinjj is not only necessary to perfectly oxygenate the blood, ami by flic attemlani motion to promote digestion ; but it expands the walls of the abdomen auc chest, and strengthens their sustaining powers. Breathing for the. most part b an involuntary action, and in children and animals is performed naturally from the abdomen and flank. Look at the dog or cat sleeping quietly on the rug Its sole indication of vitality is the bel-lows-like action of its body in In-ea-thina, You must also have observed that in all domestic animals, at each respiration, an undulating motion extends quite through the whole trunk, and that this motion terminates only at the hindermost limbs. This is natural respiration as it is perfonmved throughout quadruped existence. Have you. a perfectly healthy woman friend? Lay you-r hand upon her, and you will; find that her abdomen rises and falls in exactly the .same way at every respiratory act. Not only so, but. that- this act is involuntarily performed in a. profound manner e.c'-y few moments, and that- this increased motion operates particularly upon ihe lowest portion of the- trunk. Observe in the .same way your own person. If yon are au invalid you will hud this, motion diminished, perhaps even suppressed. When ’ one half breathes -he only half lives! .The lungs or air receptacles are enclosed within the walls of the chest or thoracic cavity: beneath the lungs is the great- breathing motor, the diaphragm, which is of a convex shape when in repose. In all correct inhalation the air filling the lungs flattens the diaphragm, and this must result in the expansion o f the body adjacent, to and. .surrounding the diaphragm. Natural breathing should bo accomplished without any upheaval of the chest or hoisting of the shoulders. That adults, and especially women, have not this deep waist, breathing is on account of disuse of the muscles. The young man who stoops has round shoulders, walks the streets with, his -hands in his pockets, or sits back over his desk, soon diminishes the action of these muscles. The girl, deprived of pockets, may keep her head and shoulders erect, yet by h er faulty dress she compresses end fixes the lower muscles, of respiration, and breathes only with the top of her lungs. When either man or woman has lost the ability to breathe deeply, a long road must be travelled to educate the muscles back to natural use. The gymnast and vocalist take pains to te.-eh deop breathing, wiucn is simply lettering natural processes. The cow will low all day for her lost offspring without fatigue or hoarseness, because she does it with expiration, and breathes from her waist and flank. The boy who roams the woods, gathering nuts and hunting squirrels, can hallo hours without weariness, because he keeps his hands out of his pockets. He breathes naturally and uses- his voice naturally, he does only what the singer and orator are taught to do, because through disuse this has become a lost art to them. The blacksmith or stonecutter, desiring to .strike a heavy blow, does it with expiration, and the breath is driven from the lungs with au “ugh I” that is almost a groan. No matter what knotted muscles he may have upon his arm, if the great converging muscle below tho lungs, called the diaphragm, is not equally .strong and powerful he cannot strike an effective blow. It is said that out of several him died recent Candida res for the navy more than two-thirds wore rejected simply because of contracted chests and insufficient breathing! Manhood, womanhood, endurance, and longevity, depend much upon lung power, and this is within the reach of ail. Massage is a -must desirable form of exercise, especially for invalids and delicate people. This consists in a thorough manipulation by an attendant of all il.ej muscles. Massage is one of the most ' effective of all manipulations to pro- \ mote nerve currents and blood circuit- i tion. It lienderh the skin sort and ■ elastic. The action extends deeply in j the body through promoting the activity of all tiie blood vessels. It restores the circulation to th© extremities, thus re- j lieving the plethora of the viscera geu-' iirally attendant upon chronic diseases. Iho muscle beater is a convenient- and Inexpensive substitute for the hand in passage and Swedish movement cures, j is it gives excellent muscular treatment without the aid of an assistant. I : I am aware that my next eaying will (

in.ring a ecnitcrtable degree of healm v'.-I derive as much benefit by < rung up and down stairs as by any clu-r excvi he, provided she ou-orve the co.uu- ■- A; i ; 1. Wear a dress tea- is htose, light and short. :J. Keep the 1 nr. alb rd. r . EiilVnC lung * ah:: air. h.-'h she breath until :he lop i< Machf!. ~:,d then ex-;cl slov.lv. -I. Maintain the o.yct pc-, ore. her us .cm what hr-. a- ■,nmw--. : - ed The diaphragm and ab.hr-.h> eei. s have Lean breach ; --.tn -,a | . are .’di'Amu'c.-yd in' i-h-, rh.i -. . Ih.cd lime t lie l hit- n . :.-.i d pr. ■ -j-v made mam :b.- a 1 -.hi..-ih. 1 ..a---.-,., v I ah. if the; e is nr. > atur-.-J. . - -.ri- - r. lore:-, are pr.h h m-V v.ud -ad upward. rr.d wita the epy-r mcr.t resume th r -ir pu r-. The reason climbing '• e «;• ,i. . a-.y injure women is that vita c,.-h rd movement. as the inte-d .ues are ;c; -he.l out, they come in contact with rb“ e-a - side constricting pressure of i .-.-i-sc;; ind band--. Where can they go? Nut namg able to go outward rimy must so upward. arresting the ‘ breath, or downward pressing the pelvic vi- eer.i upon the periuacum, and causing displacements. Is it not unju- t :o ,a l l vihnto all the mischief to the stairs when all the time it is the clothing, that dor -1 lie harm ? Who would ever think of if' hurting a boy to go upstair-, even if In- take 11;r»e steps at a- time, and gin s up -J'.vcv liigih s wit limit catching his breath ? Dress -i girl as sensibly and if will not hurt her. for really the little ana! unite I ’.! ihhereuee in their organisations is all in t:.e gi-rl’s favour. Going upstairs is the best way to gel desired exercise hi a. she.r;time. A sncce.-sfid, self-educated once said that- when A inlying and his brain became weary and stimul, lie u ftbis books and ran up ;v.ui down tse. ■ three or four ti nes, ai-compiiAing more for himself than, by half au hours v,"l!: or gymnastics. In climbing bills observe t‘ o same rales—Keep the mouth closed, expel -lowly through the nc-e. and stand ei-e -r. Not long ago I came across r. letter upon running written to boys—and why hot

girls as well? The writer a-Mwtcd thatthe whole secret of being able to run and defy all competitors was to keep tin! mouth closed, .simply because it forced deep breathing ami compels the use ..f the diaphragm. Any one can prove ,Ins. So with any exercise, hid especially climbing bills or stairs, keep the mouth doted. AU forces of the hotly are tins: allowed a natural and graceful expression. “The .soul can be regenerated and the body remain disorderly ; the body can bo trained to a- fine physical .iife and action, and the --mil remain uni-y generate: but certainly the fulness of life, both, for this world and the mod. must come from a more perfeet harmony of the materia! body v.-iih the soul,'