Singing Gives Health.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 68

Singing Gives Health.

Tho following- remarks on the good effect i which singing- has on consumptive people c appeared recently in Hjalth :—: — t "We are glad to find that of late years c

a good cleal more attention than formerly appoais to be paid to the question of the effect of vocal music as a preventho of phthisic. ' If, may, we tliink, be stated as a fact -that those nat.o/is which arc devoted to the culture of vocal music are strong, \igorou-, races with broad, expansive chest. If an hour were daily given in our public schools to the development of \ocal music there would be Jess t>ecn of drooping, withered, hollow-chested, and roundshouldered children. At present there appears too great a disiiosition to sacrifice physical health upon the alcar of learning. Vocal music is a gymnastic exercise of the- lungs by development of the lung tissue. Phthisis begins at the pices of tho kings, because the=o parts ere more inactive, and bpeause tho bronchial tubes are so arranged that they carry tho inspired air with greater facility to the bases than tho apices. During inactivity a person ~ would ordinarily breathe fiboub 4SO cubio inches of air in a minute. If he walked at the rats of six miles a:i hour ho would broatho 3260 culvo inches. In singing this is increased more than in walking, as to sing well requires! all tho capacity of the lungs."