Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/368

336&#93; 35(>] BRE to circumstances. Thus, if the patient abstain, for some time, from the use of animal food, the most distressing costiveness may be gra- dually relieved with perfect safety to the constitution ; while the car- bon acts on the whole system as the most effectual antiseptic with which v^e are acquainted. To in- crease the effect of this mild medi- cine, a tea-spoonful of squill vine- gar may occasionally be added to each dose, together with a little cinnamon or other aromatic water. The best palliatives for sweeten- ing an offensive breath, are gar- gles consisting simply of lime- water ; or a decoct ion of the Peru- vian bark ; or a liquor made by mixing two ounces of compound alum- water, and half an ounce of e^sence of lemons, with three ounces and a half of fennel -water, which should be frequently used previous to going into company, BREATHING, is that alternate contraction and expansion of the lungs and breast, by which animals inspire and expire the surrounding atmosphere ; a process essentially necessary to the support of life. From the moment a child enters the world, the air penetrates into its lungs, which were previously filled with a watery mucus, but are then opened for the circulation of the blood. Thus respiration, one of the primary and most important of the vital functions, commences with birth, and is incessantly active ; as it cannot be interrupted for many minutes, without endangering the life of the individual There have, indeed, been instances of persons wantonly endeavouring to restrain the act of breathing, nay even to check the pulsation of the arteries, so as to exhibit a specimen of apparent death, for several mi- BRE nutes. We still remember the ac- count of such a hazardous experi- ment related by a most respectable professor in the University of Edin- burgh, who informed his pupils, that a man possessing die talent here alluded to, at length paid the price of his life, by remaining, in one of his exhibitions, a fatal ex- ample of his temerity. More frequent, however, though not so immediately dangerous, are the instances in which persons, in other respects sensible, unthink- ingly expose themselves to situa- tions, where they must necessarily breathe the most -vitiated and per- nicious atmosphere. Such is the case in all public assemblies, which are confined in narrow limits, par- ticularly in theatres and other places of amusement, to which numbers of spectators indiscriminately re- sort, and where each individual is obliged to respire part of the aggre- gate mephitic vapours of the com- pany. Far from wishing to discou- rage the frequenting of those fa- shionable places of resort, in gene- ral, we only think it our duty to warn such invalids, as are liable to athmatic or pulmonary complaints, against a too free indulgence in these enticing amusements. Indeed, we are convinced, by numerous facts, of their deleterious influence ; and if any person be disposed to doubt die propriety of this caution, let him reflect on the dreadful ef- fects frequently produced by shut- ting up 5 or 6 passengers in a stage- coach, only during a short space of time ; and he will acknowledge that our admonition is well founded. Hence we would advise those who lead a studious or sedentary life, never to continue for several hours together in a close and perhaps low apartment, where they admit the same