THE CIRCULATION 6 J 



Effects of Exercise and Improved Circulation. — i. The 



skin is made fresh, pink, and smooth from the flushing of 

 the capillaries ; it is purified by the perspiration and the 

 renewal of cells. 2. If the fat is too great in amount, it is 

 burned up ; if it is too small in amount, the better nourish- 

 ment brought by the blood increases it. 3. The muscles 

 are better fed (see Fig. 48) and grow firm, strong, and 

 large. 4. The skeleton is held in proper position by the 

 stronger muscles, and deformity is prevented. 5. The 

 brain. The pure, fresh blood, loaded with oxygen from 

 expanded lungs, flushes every capillary of the brain, clears 

 the mind, and doubles or trebles its power to work. 

 6. The lungs are expanded by deep breathing if the exer- 

 cise be rapid and vigorous. A slow stroll or saunter is not 

 of value. 7. The circulation. Every contracting muscle 

 aids the heart in its work. The deep breathing moves 

 stagnant lymph. 8. The stomach. Exercise burns up the 

 food and increases the appetite. 9. General effects. Ex- 

 ercise promotes good humor, decreases loafing, cigarette 

 smoking, gossiping, and other vices. 



The effect of tobacco on the heart, if cigarettes or 

 cigars are used, is sometimes to cause attacks of irregular 

 beating ; the heart flutters faintly for a while, then palpi- 

 tates strongly, then flutters again. This condition is called 

 tobacco heart, or trotting heart. 



Effect of Alcohol upon the Circulation. — After a person 

 has taken an alcoholic drink his face and skin are likely to 

 become flushed, and perhaps his heart beats faster. Most 

 investigators have found that the alcohol itself does not 

 directly increase or strengthen the action of the heart. 

 Hence it is probably wrong to call alcohol a heart stimu- 

 lant. The flushing of the skin is believed to be due to the 

 relaxing effect of alcohol. It relaxes, it paralyzes, the 



