ix HYGIENE OF DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION 113 



importance to proper breathing and good health. What 

 was said there applies also to digestion. A lounging, 

 careless position in sitting and standing tends to displace 

 the abdominal organs. Tight lacing about the waist 

 depresses the stomach, intestines, kidneys, and liver, 

 weakens the muscles of the abdomen, interferes with 

 abdominal breathing, and deranges the organs situ- 

 ated in the pelvic cavity. These organs thus crowded 

 downward day after day soon become permanently 

 fixed in these abnormal positions. See Figure 32 on 

 page 67. 



We are told by physicians that the displacement of the 

 abdominal and pelvic organs is the cause of constipa- 

 tion, biliousness, headache, backache, general weakness, 

 and many other ailments" of a more serious nature. 

 All the difficulties, suffering, peevishness, and petulance 

 due to these disorders may be avoided if we form cor- 

 rect habits of standing, sitting, and lying, and wear 

 clothing fitting loosely about the chest and waist. 



All garments of men, women, and children should be 

 suspended from the shoulders and not from a belt worn 

 about the waist. They should be loose enough to per- 

 mit the utmost freedom for enlarging the chest in 

 breathing and for the natural functioning of the 

 abdominal and pelvic organs. The conventional dress 

 of women is particularly faulty in this matter, and in- 

 telligent arid cultured women should do their utmost 

 to institute a crusade against this unhygienic practice 

 so fashionable at present. It has been well said that 

 fashion makes cowards of us all. 



