mbs 062

MY BREATHING SYSTEM

inhalation, as a part of " my complete breath,” no attention should be paid to abdominal movements, and that the morę care should be taken in moving the whole thorax. This is an easy thing for animals and healthy children. But many adult human beings have quite forgotten how to exericse this valuable faculty, elderly gcntlcmcn using only a smali abdominal breatli, elderly ladies only a short clavi-cular breath. Tt can, however, in most cases be easily learncd again. By trying it constantly during a fen days the person will soon find out which nerves control the ex-ternal intercostal muscles and serratu.s major. By practice these muscles will by degrees grow stronger, and, finally, be capable of moving the ribs and thereby the diaphragm to their utmost limit. Fig. 13 gives a front view and Fig. 15 a side view of the correct pose for inhalation. Fig. 17 shows a wrong way of lifting the shoulders without raising simultaneously the whole upper part of the trunk.

Complete exhalalion is performed by the prccisely con-trar}⁷ movements: lower the chin again, let the ribs and breastbonc sink inwards and downwards, and the whole upper part of the trunk downwards, and continue the contraction of the lower ribs to their utmost limit. To perform the three first of these movements is a vcry easy matter in that the sinking is caused simply by the weight of the parts in cjuestion and by the elasticity of the whole thorax. Of course this elasticity comes into action the very moment that the muscles which expandcd the thorax are relaxed. The further contraction or pressing inwards of the lower ribs. which should follow, is morę difficult. and will in most cases reąuire some practice before it can be performed. It is done by the internal intercostal muscles : but many individuals have lost the control over these, and the ribs may have grown rather stift, in which case they can only be movcd witli difficulty. It is a good plan for

(>2