- What the Lungs Are
THE LUNGS; THEIR MECHANISM AND WONDERS.
What the Lungs Are.– The lungs!dense looking objects, and yet how li buoyant! This beautiful anatomical chart shows us a front view of the chest and lungs, with the lungs enclosed within the bony basket — work of the chest. The lungs are two large, conical bodies, placed one on each side of the chest, and occupy the greater part of its cavity. During the life they accurately adapt themselves to the varying dimensions of the chest; for, unhappily, the foibles of fashion very frequently cause restriction of the lungs, by interfering with the resistance and freedom of movement of the ribs, so essential to health, by tight lacing and the bar Paris usage of corsets._____________________
This is a distinct historical reference as we go to the section on the lungs. Corsets aren’t in use very often today in 2007, and when they are used they used with materials that don’t actually bind up the chest typically. They’re definitely not in wide use and reading about this in a medical book almost reminds me of reading about foot binding in a history book about Chinese fashion. This is a Western medical book and so corsets are probably closer to this book than Chinese foot binding might be, however to me looking at the book almost 100 years later, the concept still seems very alien.The first couple sentences of this section are also fairly peculiar for the writing styles, with the excessive use of the “!” And the joy and wonder at looking at something so beautiful as the lungs today seems a little insincere, however it may have had very pure sincere reasons when it was written a hundred years ago, the great war and in World War II and its successor along with many scandals have cause the world to grow up a bit and harden itself and I wonder if in part this almost innocent use of language seems slightly alien itself due to the distance of almost 100 years of innocence.
- Health
Health.-Disease can be prevented by the individual doing everything in his power to keep in the best physical condition. Disease is a common enemy of all of us, waiting to destroy, but nature is in league with us if we obey her laws. With a normal body and pureblood should the invader arrived, the fight is on our side. But once the body is weakened by heredity as a result of our parent’s or forefather’s neglect of the body, through the abuse of alcohol, tobacco or immoral living, lack of exercise, over eating and loss of sleep, overworked or lack of work or improper food, then will the soil be fertile for the planting of the germs of disease. When exposed and once planted the flight will be in their favor, as the rundown body will not have sufficient vitality to overcome the invader and sickness and death will result.
Its an interesting perspective that the author offers up about the abuse of alcohol and its impact on babies. This is something that is well documented today with fetal alcohol syndrome, but somewhat remarkable that they made the link 100 years ago.
Its remarkable, but it might also point to the direction of science and how unsubstantiated beliefs of 100 years ago, pushed the logical research in one direction or another. Hypothesis followed by experiment to result in a proven rule or dismissal or refinement of the hypothesis. But it requires that first notion and direction to research. Similar things can be seen in the evolution of other areas of science from airplanes to vacuum cleaners and Ladybug steam cleaners.
- How to Destroy Existing Mosquitoes
How to Destroy Existing Mosquitoes.-Kill every mosquito seen about the house. Every mosquito killed in the winter or spring will lessen the number of mosquitoes in the summer by thousands. Use a paddle, made of an oblong sheet of wire gauze tacked on to a strip of wood, to serve as a handle, to kill both the fly and mosquito whenever seen. One of the best means of killing female mosquitoes (as they survive from one season to another) is to begin in the winter or early spring to fumigate the air with the following mixture :—Equal parts (by weight) of carbolic acid crystals and gum camphor. Liquify the carbolic acid crystals by gentle heat, break up gum. camphor into small pieces and then pour the liquid acid slowly over the camphor. The acid will dissolve the camphor completely and the solution formed is permanent and will evaporate slightly at ordinary temperatures.
This may be one of the early books on the fight to attack mosquitoes and malaria. To fumigate a tightly sealed room, three ounces of this liquid will suffice for 1000 cubic feet of air space. Place it in a tin over an alcohol or other lamp and in addition place the lamp on a tin waiter or old pie plate, heat and it will require about one half hour to evaporate these three ounces of liquid. This solution is death to the mosquitoes and flies. It is not poisonous to man and is not destructive to fabrics and materials, furniture, etc. It is not explosive, but is inflammable and precaution should be taken to prevent fire. Mosquitoes found upon the ceilings of bedrooms in the evening may be quickly killed by taking a shallow tin cup or lip of a tin can, tacking it to a stick and then fill it with kerosene. Place quietly under the resting mosquito which either falls into or flies against the oil and is killed. Burn Chinese punk and mosquitoes will be driven away temporarily. Equal parts of olive oil and oil of citronella applied every half hour or so to the skin of the face, neck, hands and ankles will keep away mosquitoes. This method is useful to farmers, hunters, lumbermen or laborers about woods, swamps, etc., where mosquitoes are an annoying and disease carrying pest.
Dangers in Snow Water. -- snow water, pure and fresh as it seems may be very dangerous to health and consequence of organic impurities contained in it.
