Breathing Capacity of Lungs. --the breeding capacity of the lungs bears a close correspondence to the stature of man. For an ordinary sized man of about 5'8" in height, it will be 230 cubic inches, or about 1 gallon of air, and for each additional inch of stature up to 6 feet, there will be an increase of 8 cubic inches. in a forcible expiration all the air in the lungs is not expelled; or still remains behind 100 cubic inches. thus, with his son expelled air, the breeding capacity of an ordinary sized man is about 330 cubic inches, or equivalent to 11 pints of air. Of the 230 cubic inches, 100 can only be forced into lungs by the exercise of great effort, and is available for emergencies as striking a heavy blow, or for the purpose of training, as in singing, rolling, running, climbing, etc.; but the extra amount of air old was on hand in the lungs is of great value, since it enables the lungs to perform their functions continuously, even under severe and violent exertions.

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At this point in time I'm on page 47 of this text. We've been walking through basic anatomy, and I have a layman's education in anatomy. I think this might be the first time that I've actually learned something conceivably useful from the book. I do not know how accurate it might be, I was intrigued by the concept that some of the air for the lungs remains in the lungs continuously. I do understand the concept of air pressure and this does make logical sense in that regards. It would also explain why it's important to cover hole in the chest if you happen to puncture a lung. The puncture creates a deflated long which is lost that amount of air which remains at a constant level.

All in all I'm quite impressed that I have learned something from the book that's meant to teach me something.

Additional Articles from the Book of Medicine:

• Bones of the Spinal Column
  
  

  Bones of the Spinal Column. — The twenty-four bones of which it consists are so stiffly locked together as to form a chain that will bear and support the heaviest burdens, yet so flexible that it will bend like India rubber; within this wondrous column heights of delicate error that would thrill at the gentlest touch, yet so securely does it rests in its bony couch that it feels not the slightest jar or shock; and resting upon this remarkable pillar of bones is born the brain, without a tremor or a fear of danger; to it are found clinging to vital organs of the chest and abdomen, secure in the protection it affords.

  In this section they author makes a remark that either the brain or the other organs of the body should fear the danger incumbent upon them for having attached themselves to the spinal column. This statement just seems rather bizarre to me and I can’t make heads or tails of it.

  I think its some vague reference to the altitude of the brain suspended above the body and held up by the spinal column, but its just a strange thing to say. I bet the author would truly be hysterical if they new how incumbent their physical existence was upon the DNA of their parents let alone the design and synthesis of peptides!

• The Intestines
  
  

  The Intestines.  — the next chart shows us the manner in which the intestines are arranged in the abdominal cavity.  The entire intestinal can now is about 30 feet in length, and is divided into two portions — the small intestines, and the large intestines; these again are each subdivided into three different portions.  Of the large intestines, the transfers portion is laid open, showing the internal arrangements.  A section of the bladder is even on this chart.

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  I really don’t have any clue what they’re talking about when they refer to the three portions subdividing both the large and small intestines.  Is nothing in the chart that mentions this subdivision and I’ve never heard of anything like that before in regards to the intestines.  This could be my lame and ignorance or it could be some odd notion espoused in this book.  They also mention that the link to the intestines is approximately 30 feet.  I seem to recall from my grade school education 25 years ago, that the length was 26 feet for the small intestine and six to 7 feet for the large intestine or was that 3 feet for the large intestine?

  My fourth-grade education combined with my loss of memory over 25 years may be getting the best of me.  Maybe I spent too much time at the drive-in watching movies freezing my toes off as I laid on top of the roof of our van, clinging to a van rack.  I’m sure that would seem extremely strange to the writers of this book and possibly even to my readers is not been to a drive-in before during the fall.

• Delicacy of the Organs
  
  

  Again this next section has a title that doesn’t sound like something you’d find in a medical textbook. If I were to read this title is where I would think I was preparing to read a book about Hannibal Lecter. In fact maybe it was medical textbooks like this that inspired some evil doctor to become a cannibal somewhere.
  

  Delicacy of the Organs. –the protection of the organs which carry on the stupendous office challenges our warmest admiration. So delicately are they arranged that the slightest pressure will cause intense pain, yet tons of air surged to and fro through their intricate passages, and bathe their innumerable cells without our knowledge, so to speak, of its coming and going. We annually perform over 8,400,000 acts of breathing, inhale over 150,000 feet of air, and purify nearly 4000 tons of blood! This gigantic and unburdensome process goes on constantly, never wearying or worrying us when in robust health, we are struck dumb founded with amazement when the cold calculations of science reveal to us its magnitude and marvelousness.

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  So it does appear that the title for this action was completely inept. The section actually is a off topic. It jumps from the concept that our organs are designed with sensors to indicate pain when the organs or threaten, and then jumped into the statistics section talking about just how much the organs process. Nothing in this section talked about how fragile the organs might be, and much to the chagrin of many cannibalistic psychologists, there is no talk about how to cook up a meal.