208 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. 



kerchiefs that have been previously soaked in 

 antiseptic ; by using their hands as shields when 

 coughing they are liable to transmit the microbes 

 to others when shaking hands, as these others 

 may apply their fingers directly to their mouths. 

 In the same way consumptives, by not taking 

 precautions, can leave virulent sputum on door 

 handles, car rails, etc. If these little precautions 

 were only taken, the dangers of contracting 

 disease by handling articles and then licking 

 one's fingers would be very small ; and probably 

 those who were predisposed, or who were not in 

 good enough health to fight the disease germ, 

 would escape getting sufficient into their system 

 to do them harm. 



814. I do not think that consumption is in- 

 herited as a rule, i.e. that the new-born babe of 

 consumptive parents is born with the germ in 

 its system. I do not see how the tuberculosis 

 bacilli that are in the lungs of the mother, and 

 not generally in the blood, can possibly get into 

 the foetus. If, however, the mother had tuber- 

 culosis of the womb, the microbes might pass 

 through the cells with the nourishment. Chil- 

 dren are, however, born with syphilis in their 

 system. 



In most cases there is no doubt that the new- 

 born babe is free from the tuberculosis germs, 

 but it is predisposed to them by having a weak 

 chest, throat, etc., and therefore will very rapidly 

 contract the disease. Now this babe from birth 

 is exposed to millions of the germs in the house, 

 in the bed, and on the articles that it plays with, 

 and even in its mother's milk. So no wonder 

 the poor child gets consumption afterwards. 

 Had it been taken from its mother at birth, and 

 had its weak parts (lungs, etc.) been developed 

 later by the modern methods of physical culture, 

 there is no reason at all why it should not be as 

 healthy as any other. 



If people who are predisposed to disease and 

 who are in bad health would really try to 

 develop their weak organs by modern physical 

 culture, they would be able to fight disease. I 

 do not mean weight-lifting or turning somer- 

 saults, or anything like that, but the gymnastics 

 which develop every organ of the body. 



The fresh-air cure for consumption is almost 

 useless in many cases unless the patient is first 

 taught how to use his lungs. Deep breathing is 

 the secret of healthy lungs and general good 

 health. While exercise is being taken, deeper 

 and slower breathing must be practised, and not 

 fast, short breathing. This can easily be 

 acquired. Everybody should devote ten minutes 

 to breathing deep, slow breaths in through the 

 nose and out through the mouth every morning 

 and night. 



The Medical Thnes, a short time ago, 

 demonstrated the importance of inhaling through 

 the nose for half a dozen times at intervals of 

 half a minute. A full inhalation should be 



taken, and the nostril kept closed with the 

 fingers for fifteen seconds to force the oxygen into 

 the air sacs of the lungs. The article further ex- 

 plained that this must be done immediately 

 before retiring to bed, doing nothing more before 

 lying down ; by this means the habit continues. 

 The window, of course, must be open. 



Other exercises should also be done to develop 

 the chest, such as raising oneself from the floor 

 by the arms, as in Swedish drill, twenty times 

 every morning. 



815. In order to destroy any bacteria in the 

 air sacs of the lungs, the lungs must be opened 

 right up by deep breathing. Horse-back exercise, 

 if one keeps his shoulders back and does not 

 stoop like a jockey, is the most healthy exercise 

 in the world. Not only is it the finest medicine 

 for the liver and bowels, but it exerts a wonder- 

 ful effect on the whole system. 



A few pounds or dollars spent on horses will 

 save many more on doctors' bills. Next to riding 

 comes motor driving, providing the speed is 

 temperate. 



People with weak chests, especially broad 

 shoulders and shallow chests, should not go into 

 sport that tends to cramp the chest, such as 

 much cricket, billiards, etc. ; the latter, of 

 course, is also less healthy, as it is indoors. 



Everyone should sleep with his window open 

 at night, however cold it may be outside. If one 

 is brought up used to this no harm will result, 

 and it is one of the secrets of good health. 

 Architects should be far more particular in the 

 way they design windows and ventilators, and 

 the law should make it compulsory that storm 

 windows (as used in cold countries in the winter) 

 should be made so that at least one large pane 

 will slide open. 



816. Worry has a great deal to do with 

 disease ; some people imagine they have got all 

 kinds of diseases. If they participated in 

 healthy exercise and had more faith in their own 

 health in many cases they would be far more 

 happy and keep well. Taking patent medicines 

 continually is a dangerous habit ; many of them, 

 indeed, are worthless, even if they do no harm. 

 In many cases bad illnesses of long standing are 

 cured by belief that a certain doctor or drug is 

 going to do good. 



Homoeopathy has cured thousands of sick 

 people ; yet what else than faith has cured 

 these? The drugs used in homoeopatiiic treat- 

 ment could not do any physiological good ; their 

 strength sometimes is only one-thousandth of 

 that of a normal dose. 



Greatest antiseptic precautions should be 

 taken in handling the clothes and bedclothes of 

 diseased patients. A free use of antiseptics must 

 be practised in a patient's bedroom. Sputum of 

 consumptives and the excreta and urine of 

 typhoid patients must be put into vessels con- 

 taining 5 per cent, creolin, or carbolic, etc. 



