Physiology and Hygiene for Secondary Schools by Francis M. Walters;A.M.
page 40 of 527 (07%)
page 40 of 527 (07%)
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must of necessity undergo rapid and continuous change. The red corpuscles,
whose changes have already been noted, appear to be the most enduring constituents of the blood. The plasma is the portion that changes most rapidly. Yet in spite of these changes the quantity and character of the blood remain practically constant.(14) This is because there is a _balancing_ of the forces that bring about the changes. The addition of various materials to the blood just equals the withdrawal of the same materials from the blood. Somewhat as a vessel of water (Fig. 12) having an inflow and an outflow which are equal in amount may keep always at the same level, the balancing of the intake and outgo of the blood keeps its composition about the same from time to time. *Hygiene of the Blood.*âThe blood, being a changeable liquid, is easily affected through our habits of living. Since it may be affected for ill as well as for good, one should cultivate those habits that are beneficial and avoid those that are harmful in their effects. Most of the hygiene of the blood, however, is properly included in the hygiene of the organs that act upon the bloodâa fact which makes it unnecessary to treat this subject fully at this time. From a health standpoint, the most important constituents of the blood are, perhaps, the corpuscles. These are usually sufficient in number and vigor in the blood of those who take plenty of physical exercise, accustom themselves to outdoor air and sunlight, sleep sufficiently, and avoid the use of injurious drugs. On the other hand, they are deficient in quantity and inferior in quality in the bodies of those who pursue an opposite course. Impurities not infrequently find their way into the blood through the digestive organs. One should eat wholesome, well-cooked food, drink freely of _pure_ water, and limit the quantity of food _to what can be properly digested_. The natural purifiers of the blood are the organs of |
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