146 THE WONDERFUL HOUSE THAT JACK HAS 



Now, as to the different kinds of breathing, all will 

 agree that the one which causes us to take in the great- 

 est amount of air with the least possible effort must be 

 the best. Of the common habits, the one known as 

 "high chest breathing" is the poorest. This is done 

 by raising the collar-bone and shoulders in such a way 

 as to elevate the upper ribs. This method is bad, be- 

 cause it calls for too difficult exertion and fills only the 

 upper and smaller part of the lungs. People who have 

 this habit are compelled to breathe very frequently 

 to supply the air the body must have to keep in good 

 health. The unused parts naturally become subject to 

 disease, and shortened life results. 



" Costal breathing" is the term applied when the chest 

 cavity is enlarged by raising the ribs with the inter- 

 costal muscles. When the space for the lungs to ex- 

 pand is made by pushing the apex of the diaphragm 

 downward, the breathing is said to be diaphragmatic. 

 This is, no doubt, the easiest and best of these methods. 

 It is, however, far better to get into the habit of forcing 

 the diaphragm downwards and using the intercostal 

 muscles at the same time. When the diaphragm 

 alone is used, the upper parts of the lungs are not filled 

 with air, and, on this account, may more readily become 

 diseased. 



When the diaphragm goes down so that we feel a 

 good strong pressure on the organs of the abdomen, 

 and the intercostal muscles move sufficiently to make 

 plain the fact that new air is refreshing the upper regions 



