The Project Gutenberg eBook of Object Lessons on the Human Body, by Sarah F. Buckelew and Margaret W. Lewis

Of what are the lungs composed?—"Of a soft, fleshy substance, full of small air-cells and tubes."

How does the air get into the lungs?—"The air flows through the nose and mouth, into the windpipe and along the air-tubes, into the air-cells of the lungs."

What does the air do in the lungs?—"It swells the lungs and causes the chest to expand."

How is the air expelled from the lungs?—"The chest contracts and sends the impure air through the tubes and windpipe, the nose and mouth, into the atmosphere."

Why can you not live without breathing?—"Because, if I do not breathe, pure air cannot get into the lungs to make the bad blood pure, and I cannot live if the dark, impure blood is sent back again through my body."

Why must you live in the sunlight?—"Because the sunlight helps to purify the blood and strengthen the body."

Why must you wear loose clothing?—"Because tight clothing stops the circulation of the blood."

Why must you avoid tight-lacing?—"Because tight-lacing crowds the ribs against the lungs, so that the lungs cannot move freely."

Why should you wear clean clothing?—"That nothing impure may pass into the body through the pores of the skin."

Why should you keep the body clean?—"That the pores of the skin may not be closed, but remain open to let the perspiration pass through."

What has the cleanliness of the body to do with the health of the lungs?—"If the body is not kept clean, the perspiratory pores become clogged."

What happens when the perspiratory pores are clogged?—"The impure particles which should pass through them stay in the body, and cause disease in the lungs or other parts."

Why should you sit and stand erect?—"Because, if I am in the habit of stooping, my lungs will be crowded, and will not have enough room to move freely."

Why should you keep all parts of the body warm?—"Because chilling any part of the body causes the blood to chill in that part, and thus hinders its circulation."

Why should you not change your winter clothing too early in the spring of the year?—"I may take cold if not warmly clothed during the cool days of early spring."

Why should you avoid draughts of cool air?—"Because the cool air blows upon some parts of the body and closes the pores of the skin, checking the perspiration, and hindering the circulation of the blood."

Why should you not rush suddenly from a warm to a cool place?—"Because when warm the pores of the skin are open; if I rush suddenly into the cool air, these pores are closed too quickly."

Why does stopping the perspiration hurt the lungs more or less?—"The impurities it ought to carry away remain in the body, make the blood impure, and produce disease in some part; very often that part is the lungs."

What harm does alcohol do in the lungs?—"It fills the lungs with impure blood."

What harm does it do to the air-cells?—"It hardens the walls of the air-cells of the lungs."

What harm is done by the hardening of these air-cells?—"1. The lungs cannot take in enough of the gas called oxygen to purify the blood perfectly. 2. The gases or vapors in the lungs cannot pass freely through the hardened air-cells."

From what disease do some hard drinkers suffer?—"Alcoholic consumption, for which there is no cure." See Appendices on Alcohol and Tobacco.

PART X.

1. When my food is chewed, it is rolled by my tongue into the oesophagus, or food-pipe, which is back of my windpipe, and leads from my mouth down along the side of my spine, to the left and upper end of my stomach.

2. My stomach is an oblong, soft, and fleshy bag, extending from my left to my right side, below my lungs and heart.

4. The outer coat is smooth, thick, and tough. It supports and strengthens the stomach.

5. The middle coat is fibrous. Its fibres have the power of contracting, sometimes pressing upon the food, and sometimes pushing it along toward the opening which leads out of the stomach.

6. The inner coat is soft, thick, spongy, and wrinkled. It prepares a slimy substance and a fluid. The slimy substance prevents the stomach from being irritated by the food. The fluid dissolves the food.

8. It is changed into pulp in the mouth, by the action of the teeth and the saliva. This is called mastication. It is changed in the stomach, by the action of the stomach and the gastric juice, into another kind of pulp called chyme. The chyme is changed by the bile and another kind of juice, called pancreatic juice; these separate the nourishing from the waste substance. The nourishing, milk-like substance is called chyle. The waste substance passes from the body. The chyle is poured into a vein behind the collar bone, and passes through the heart to the lungs, where it is changed into blood.

9. If I would have a healthy stomach,

I must be careful what kind of food I eat,

I must be careful how much I eat,

I must be careful how I eat,

I must be careful when I eat.

10. I must eat wholesome food, good bread, ripe fruits, rather than rich pies or jellies.

12. I must eat slowly,

I must masticate my food thoroughly,

I must masticate and swallow ray food without drinking

13. I must take my food regularly but not too often,

I must rest before and after eating, if possible,

I must not eat just before bedtime.

14. I must breathe pure air,

I must sit, stand, and walk erect,

I must not drink alcoholic liquors,

I must not snuff, smoke, or chew tobacco.

There is pleasure in eating, because God has given us the sense of taste, that we may enjoy our food. But not everything which pleases this sense is good for the body, so we should learn what things are wholesome and choose them for our food and drink, refusing everything which is unwholesome. Those who obey these rules "eat to live" and never become drunkards or gluttons.

What happens to the food after it is chewed?—"It is rolled by my tongue into the oesophagus or food-pipe."

Where is the oesophagus or food-pipe?—"It passes from the mouth down the left side of the spine."

What is the stomach?—"A fleshy bag which receives and changes the food we eat."

Where is the stomach?—"In the front part of the chest, below the heart and lungs."

What are the coats of the stomach called?—"The outer coat, the middle coat, the inner coat."

Describe the outer coat of the stomach.—"The outer coat is smooth, thick, and tough."

Of what use is the outer coat of the stomach?—"It strengthens and supports the stomach."

Describe the middle coat of the stomach.—"The middle coat is composed of fleshy fibres, which have the power of making themselves long or short."

Of what use are the fibres of the stomach?—"They press upon the food, and push it toward the opening which leads out of the stomach."

Describe the inner coat of the stomach.—"The inner coat is soft, thick, spongy, and wrinkled."

Of what use is the inner coat of the stomach?—"It prepares a slimy substance and a fluid."

Of what use is the slimy substance?—"It prevents the stomach from being irritated by the food."

Where is the food changed after it is taken into the mouth?—"First it is changed in the mouth; second, it is changed in the stomach; third, it is changed after leaving the stomach; fourth, it is changed in the lungs."

By what is it changed in the mouth?—"By the action of the teeth and the saliva."

By what is it changed in the stomach?—"By the action of the stomach and a kind of fluid called gastric juice."

By what is it changed after leaving the stomach?—"By the action of the bile and the pancreatic juice."

Into what is it changed after leaving the stomach?—"Into chyle and waste substance."

What is the change after leaving the stomach called?—"Chylification, or chyle-making."

What is necessary, if you would have a healthy stomach?—"I must be careful what kind of food I eat; how much I eat; and when I eat."

Why should you not eat too much food?—"Because, if I eat too much food, my stomach will have too much work to do in changing it into chyme."

Why should you eat slowly?—"That I may have time to masticate the food thoroughly."

Why should you masticate your food thoroughly?—"That it may be well prepared to enter the stomach."

Why should the food be well prepared to enter the stomach?—"Because, if it is not well prepared in the mouth, the stomach will have too much work to change it into chyme."

Why should you eat regularly, but not too often?—"Because the stomach needs rest, which it cannot have, if I eat too often."

Why should you avoid eating just before bedtime?—"Because, while I am asleep, the stomach cannot do the work of changing the food as it ought to be changed; because the stomach should rest with the other parts of the body."

Why should you breathe pure air?—"Because pure air helps to make pure blood, which the stomach needs to make it strong and healthy."

Why should you sit, stand, and walk erect?—"That the stomach may not be crowded out of its place, or pressed upon by other parts of the body."

In what way does tobacco hurt the stomach?—"It poisons the saliva and prevents it from preparing the food to enter the stomach."

What harm does tobacco do inside the stomach?—"It weakens the stomach and makes it unfit to change the food into chyme."

How will wise children treat tobacco?—"Let it alone. They will not chew, snuff, or smoke the vile weed."

How has this been proved?—"Alcohol has been found in the brain, and other parts of drunkards, with the same smell and the same power to burn easily which it had when it was taken into the mouth."

How do you know it is a poison?—"Because it does harm to every part of the body, beginning in the stomach."

What harm does alcohol do in the stomach?—"It hinders the stomach from doing its work; it burns the coats of the stomach; it destroys the gastric juice; it hardens the food, so that it cannot be dissolved by the gastric juice."

Where does the liver send it?—"To the heart; and the heart sends it to the lungs."

What do the lungs do with the alcohol?—"They drive it out as soon as they can."

Where do the lungs send some of it?—"Through the nose and mouth, into the air."

What harm does the alcohol do in the breath?—"It poisons the air; it tells that some kind of alcoholic liquor has been taken into the stomach."

From what you have learned about alcohol, what do you think is the only safe rule to obey concerning cider, beer, wine, and all alcoholic liquors?—"I must not drink them, if I wish to have a strong and healthy stomach."

PART XI.

2. It is placed in a bony box called the skull; it is covered and held together by three coats or membranes.

4. The middle membrane is thick, and somewhat like a spider's web in appearance.

6. From the brain, white or reddish gray pulpy cords, called nerves, pass to all parts of the body. These nerves are of two kinds: nerves of feeling, and nerves of motion.

7. If I prick my finger, a nerve of feeling carries the message to my brain; if I wish to move my finger, a nerve of motion causes my finger to obey my will.

8. Twelve pairs of nerves pass from the base of the brain: the first pair, called the nerves of smell, to my nose; the fourth pair, called the nerves of sight, to my eyes; the fifth pair, called the nerves of taste, to my mouth, tongue, and teeth. One pair pass to my face; another to my ears. The ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth pairs to my tongue and parts of my throat and neck.^[3]

9. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves extending from the base of my brain, down through the whole length of my spine, or backbone. It is the largest nerve in my body.

10. From the spine, thirty-one pairs of nerves, called spinal nerves, pass to different parts of my body; some to the lungs, some to the heart, some to the stomach, some to the bones, and some to the muscles and skin.

11. If a nerve be destroyed it cannot carry messages to and from the brain. Before filling a tooth, the dentist sometimes destroys its nerve.

12. If a nerve be pressed upon too long it cannot perform its duty. If I press upon the nerve passing to my foot, I stop it from communicating with the brain; the foot loses its feeling, or, as I say, "is asleep."

13. If I drink alcoholic liquors, or snuff, smoke, or chew tobacco, my brain and nerves cannot do their work well; because alcohol and nicotine are very poisonous to the brain and nerves.

I must drink wholesome drink, eat wholesome food, take enough exercise, and breathe pure air, that my brain may be supplied with pure blood;

I must rest my brain when it is tired, either by changing my employment, or by going to sleep;

[3] NOTE.—A fuller description of the Nerves of the Brain: Twelve pairs of nerves pass from the base of the brain; the first pair, called the nerves of smell, to my nose; the second pair, called the nerves of sight, to my eyes; the third, fourth, and sixth pairs to the muscles of my eyes; the fifth pair to my forehead, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, teeth, and different parts of my face; the seventh pair to different parts of my face; the eighth pair, called the nerves of hearing, to the inner part of my ear; the ninth pair to my mouth, tongue, and throat; the twelfth pair to my tongue; the eleventh pair to my neck; the tenth pair to my neck, throat, lungs, stomach, and different parts of my body.

13. What happens if you drink alcoholic liquors, or snuff, smoke, or chew tobacco?

The brain is egg-shaped, and of two parts, the large brain (cerebrum), and the little brain (cerebellum). These are composed of a white and gray substance, which in the large brain is so folded and wrinkled that it looks like the meat of an English walnut; in the little brain it is so arranged that it resembles a tree, and is called arbor vitæ, tree of life. The mind does its thinking through the large brain, and controls its muscles through the little brain.

A drunken man can not walk straight because alcohol has hurt the little brain; he can not think straight because it has poisoned the large brain.

C, the large brain (cerebrum). B, the small brain (cerebellum). S, a portion of the spinal cord.

What may you name these membranes?—"The outer membrane, the middle membrane, and the inner membrane."

What are the nerves?—"White ashen-gray pulpy cords, which are found in the brain."

What names are given to the two kinds of nerves?—"Nerves of motion and nerves of feeling."

Where is the spinal cord?—"It extends from the brain throughout the whole length of the backbone."

How may you describe the spinal cord?—"It is a bundle of nerves, etc." See Formula.

Where are the spinal nerves?—"They pass from the spinal cord to different parts of the trunk and limbs."

Where do the fifth pair go?—"To the forehead, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, teeth, and different parts of the face."

Where do the tenth pair go?—"To the neck, throat, lungs, stomach, and different parts of the body."

What happens if a nerve be destroyed?—"It cannot carry messages to the brain."

What happens if a nerve be pressed upon too long?—"It cannot carry messages to the brain."

What is necessary if you would have a strong, healthy brain?—"My brain must be used; my brain must be rested; my brain must be supplied with pure blood."

In what other way may the brain be rested?—"By thinking of something different from that which made it tired."

With what may you show the harm done by alcohol to the gray part of the brain?—"With alcohol and the white of an egg."

How could you show it with these?—"I would pour the alcohol upon the white of the egg."

What would then happen?—"The white of the egg would harden as if it had been boiled."

Where else may we find albumen?—"In some seeds, and in the gray part of the brain and the nerves."

What harm does alcohol do to the nerves?—"It takes away their moisture and hardens them."

What harm does this do to them?—"It paralyzes them, or makes them lose their power."

What happens when nerves are paralyzed?—"They lose their power over the muscles; they are unfit to carry messages to and from the brain."

What harm does alcohol do to the gray part of the brain?—"It hardens it, as it hardens the white of an egg."

What harm does this do to the brain?—"It paralyzes it, or makes it lose its power."

What then happens?—"It cannot properly do its work of thinking, and cannot control the nerves."

What disease is sometimes caused by this hardening of the brain by alcohol?—"Paralysis, which often ends in death."

What harm does alcohol do to the blood-vessels of the brain?—"It fills them with impure blood."

What disease is caused by the blood-vessels of the brain being filled with impure blood?—"Congestion of the brain, or apoplexy, which ends in death."

What else frequently happens to those who drink alcoholic liquors?—"They become crazy, or insane."

If you wish to have a strong, healthy brain, what should you do about these liquors?—

Tell of what dreadful disease people die who are bitten by a mad dog.—"Of hydrophobia."

Of what dreadful disease do people sometimes die who are bitten by the serpent in alcoholic liquors?—"Of delirium tremens."

Which is the more dreadful, hydrophobia or delirium tremens?—"One is as dreadful as the other."

How can you be sure never to have delirium tremens?—"By drinking nothing which has alcohol in it."

Will a little beer or wine hurt you?—"Yes, it may make me love the taste of alcohol."

What harm is there in loving the taste of alcohol?—"I may love it so much as to become a drunkard."

Tell once more how you should treat alcoholic liquors.—"I should never drink a drop of them."

ALCOHOL.

Several hundred years ago many people were trying to discover something that would keep them young and strong, and prevent them from dying. It is said by some that a man named Paracelsus, in making experiments, discovered alcohol. He called it "the water of life," and boasted that he would never be weak and never die; so he went on drinking alcoholic liquors until at last he died in a drunken fit.

What is this alcohol which has done and is doing so much mischief in the world? I will show you some. What does it look like?—"Water." Yes; and if you were to smell it you would say it has a somewhat pleasant odor; if you were to taste it, that it has a hot, biting taste, i.e., is pungent. If you put a lighted match to it you would notice that it burns easily, and with a flame, and may therefore be said to be combustible and inflammable.

What does it come from? Is it one of the drinks God has given us? Some of the class think it is; we will try to learn whether this answer is correct or not. If we study about it very carefully we shall discover that it is not a natural drink, that it is not found except where it has been made from decayed or rotten fruits, grains, or vegetables.

If you take some apples, and squeeze the juice out of them, you will find it sweet and pleasant; let that juice stand for several days and what will happen to it?—"It will get bad." Yes; or, as grown people say, it will work or ferment; that is, the sugary part of the juice will be separated into a kind of gas and a liquid. The gas is called carbonic acid gas; the liquid is alcohol. Both the gas and the liquid are poisonous.

Alcohol may also be obtained from other fruits, as grapes, and from some grains and vegetables. But all these must first become rotten before alcohol will come out of them. This is one reason why we think that God, who gives us good, wholesome food, did not intend alcohol to be a drink for man, else He would have put it into the delicious ripe fruit, and not made it impossible to get until they decay.

Now let us put upon the blackboard something which will help us remember what we have learned about

We put some sugar into water; the children see that it melts; then some glue or shellac is placed in the same liquid; they see that this is not melted, but that, when alcohol is used instead of water, the glue or shellac is dissolved. From this experiment they learn that alcohol is used in making varnishes.

Some water is poured into one saucer, and alcohol into another; a lighted match is applied to each; the class notices that the alcohol takes fire and burns, while the water does not.

Next, we fill a lamp with alcohol, and put a wick into it; when the wick becomes wet with the fluid it burns steadily and without smoke, as may be seen by holding a clean white saucer over the flame. This shows why jewellers and others, who wish to use a lamp to make things very hot, prefer alcohol to kerosene, which, as the children know, smokes lamp-chimneys, or anything else, so easily.

We show a thermometer; the children are told its use if they are not already familiar with the instrument; we talk about the quicksilver in the tube, about its rising or falling according to the degree of heat or cold; then we inform the class that in some countries where it is very cold quicksilver freezes; for this reason alcohol, which does not freeze, is colored red and put into the thermometer tube to be used in these Arctic regions.

Another use for alcohol is to keep or preserve substances. This we illustrate by placing a piece of meat into some alcohol. We explain that the water in the meat is that which causes it to decay. Alcohol has the power to take up or absorb water; so when meat is put into this liquid the water from the meat is absorbed by it, and the meat does not become bad. Those who wish to preserve insects a long time, and doctors who desire to keep any portion of a human body after death, put these into alcohol, in which they may be kept for a long time.

Lastly, we let the children smell cologne or other perfumery, and tell them this is made from different oils mixed with alcohol.

At the close of this lesson the class is ready to help us make the following BLACKBOARD OUTLINE.

You see alcohol is very useful for some purposes; but do people ever drink it? Some of the children think not, and we grant that no one is foolish enough to drink raw alcohol, because it is too strong. It would take only a little to make them drunk, and only a few ounces to kill them instantly.

We ask the pupils if they have ever seen a drunken person, and what made that person drunk? We soon obtain an answer, and place upon the board "Rum, gin, whiskey, brandy," as the names of drinks which will take away the good sense of those who drink them. To these are added "Wine, beer, ale, lager, and cider."

We explain that all these have alcohol in them, as may be known by smelling them, or by smelling the breath of those who have drunk even a little of them; and that because they contain alcohol they are called alcoholic liquors. If a person drinks any one of them he will be poisoned, more or less, according to how much he takes. The children are astonished at the word poisoned, but we explain that the very word, intoxicated, means poisoned. So a drunken man is a poisoned man. If enough alcohol, or alcoholic liquor, is drunk by anyone, he will drop down dead as quickly as if he were shot by a cannon ball.

When told that alcohol is not a food, but a poison, the class readily understands what we mean, and we have no difficulty in having the following statements prepared and memorized:

ALCOHOL.
DISCOVERED BY Paracelsus. CALLED "The water of life."	DESCRIPTION. Water-like; with a pleasant odor; a hot, biting taste; and will burn with a flame.	MADE FROM Fruits, Grains, or Vegetables.