RESPIRATION AND EXCRETION 389 



suits in the need of greater food supply, and hence a more rapid 

 pumping of blood from the heart. With this comes need of more 

 oxygen to allow the oxidations which supply the greater energy 

 used. Hence deeper breathing during time of exercise is a prime 

 necessity in order to increase the absorbing surface of the lungs. 



Suffocation and Artificial Respiration. — Suffocation results from the 

 shutting ofl of the supply of oxygen from the lungs. It may be brought 

 about by an obstruction in the windpipe, by a lack of oxygen in the air, 

 by inhaling some other gas in quantity, or by drowning. A severe electric 

 shock may paralyze the nervous centers which control respiration, thus 

 causing a kind of suffocation. In the above cases, death often may be pre- 

 vented by prompt recourse to artificial respiration. To accomplish this, 

 place the patient on his back with the head lower than the body ; grasp 

 the arms near the elbows and draw them upward and outward until they 

 are stretched above the head, on a line with the body. By this means the 

 chest canity is enlarged and an inspiration produced. To produce an ex- 

 piration, carry the arms downward, and press them against the chest, 

 thus forcing the air out of the lungs. This exercise, regularly repeated 

 every few seconds, if necessarj' for hours, has been the source of saving 

 many lives. 



Common Diseases of the Nose and Throat. — Catarrh is a disease which 

 people with sensitive mucous membrane of the nose and throat are sub- 

 ject to. It is indicated by the constant secretion of mucus from these 

 membranes. Frequent spraying of the nose and throat with some mild 

 antiseptic solutions is found useful. Chronic catarrh should be at- 

 tended to by a physician. Often we iind children breathing entirely 

 through the mouth, the nose being seemingly stopped up. When this goes 

 on for some time the nose and throat should be examined by a physician 

 for adenoids, or growths of soft masses of tissue which fill up the nose 

 cavity, thus causing a shortage of the air supply for the body. Many a 

 child, backward at school, thin and irritable, has been changed to a healthy, 

 normal, bright scholar by the removal of adenoids. Sometimes the 

 tonsils at the back of the mouth cavity may become enlarged, thus shut- 

 ting off the air supply and causing the same trouble as we see ia a case of 

 adenoids. The simple removal of the obstacle by a doctor soon cures 

 this condition. 



Cell Respiration. — It has been found, in the case of very 

 simple animals, such as the amoeba, that when oxidation takes 

 place in a cell, work results from this oxidation. The oxygen 

 taken into the lungs is not used there, but is carried by the blood 

 to such parts of the body as need oxygen to oxidize food mate- 

 rials in the cells. The quantity of oxygen used by the body is 



