Inside the walls of these tiny air sacs are myriads of tiny capillaries, smallest of all blood vessels. The walls of the capillaries are so thin that the molecules of oxygen in the air readily pass through them and into the red blood cells where they unite with the hemoglobin.
This chemical combination, called oxygenation, changes the color of the blood from bluish-purple to a bright cherry red. At the same time carbon dioxide leaves the red blood cells and is breathed out through the windpipes into air outside the body.
Normally …

Germs are dealt with in a different way. The respiratory passages are lined with a delicate mucous membrane on which innumerable hair-like projections or cilia are present. There are also numerous small glands that produce a thin film of sticky mucus on which dust particles and germs will lodge. This mucous film or “blanket” is constantly moved by the cilia, or hair-like projections, toward the back of the throat so that a new mucous blanket is formed very fifteen minutes. The old one passes down into the throat and stomach …

Nothing is more objectionable than bad breath. Unfortunately, most people are completely unaware that they are offending in this respect. One common cause of trouble is bad teeth. Dental decay at the roots of the teeth may result in abscesses in the gums with foul-smelling pus giving an objectional odor to the breath.
Even small holes in the teeth may provide a place where germs can multiply and release foul odors. These are very common in younger people. Badly fitting dentures that have not been properly cleansed are a common cause …

Gonorrhea is another venereal disease which is almost always transmitted by sexual contact. It is caused by a tiny bean-shaped germ called a gonococcus. In some cases, the disease may also be contracted from contaminated hands, instruments, clothing, contaminated toilet seats, and even bath water. This is particularly true in the case of little girls; all of them are extremely susceptible to this disease.
Symptoms:
Burning on urination may be the first sign of trouble. There may also be a sense of urgency6 and frequency of urination, and in addition, a profuse …

The frightful price of promiscuous living is only too obvious to all sensible people. Prostitutes are dangerous, not only young men, but also to the young women they marry, and later to their unborn children. Syphilis and gonorrhea are always hazardous to any young person. In addition, there is always the problem of teen-age pregnancy, and the finding of oneself tied for life to someone who is really not a suitable companion. An unwanted pregnancy may force a may be later followed by separation and divorce. If not, there is …

Chickenpox is a mild disease affecting almost all children during their early years. Many investigators think this rather mild virus disease is closely related to a much more serious condition that affects adults, called shingles or herpes zoster. Chickenpox seems to affect children from three to four years of age. Infants under six months of age seem to have some immunity against the disease, probably through the mother. In most cases, the older child, more severe the attack.
Chickenpox usually begins with a low grade fever, a mild headache, and feeling …

Early sex relations raise another serious question, that of cancer. Medical studies for a number of years have shown that cancer of the cervix is more prevalent in women who have indulged in premature sex relations during their early teens. The most dangerous time is apparently between fourteen to eigthteen years age. But here is something surprising. Cancer of the cervix occurs less frequently in women if the husband has been circumcised. We are not yet certain why this should be, but this common form of cancer is far less …

Syphilis may occur during pregnancy, and unless the expectant mother has been properly treated, the disease may strike the unborn child with great severity. Soon after birth the bones will appear somewhat deformed; the child may have trouble with his eyes. There may be considerable damage to the brain and central nervous system. The child may be retarded both mentally and physically. His teeth and gums may be deformed, and he may have a “saddle nose,” as well as sores at the corners of his mouth. His teeth may be …

Dental decay is common during pregnancy, particularly if your diet is lacking in calcium. Be sure to see a good dentist early in pregnancy and have any repairs made on your teeth. If you have to have a tooth extracted, it should be done under local anesthetic. Good dental care now will save your teeth and your appearance.

Radiation sickness is likely to follow when any portion of the body has been exposed to the direct rays of the blast. In severe cases there will be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling of the skin, as well be as a feeling of weakness and prostration, followed by coma, and perhaps death.
Milder doses of radiation may produce feelings of weakness, followed by vomiting and diarrhea, and perhaps some prolonged infection. With proper treatment, most of these cases will eventually make a satisfactory recovery. Lighter doses of radiation may produce few if …