Mental Magnitude

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

It is, therefore, our considered opinion that the education or culture of man should be approached on some broad fronts which we now proceed to specify.

In the life of man, five necessities can be discerned. They are: air, water, food, shelter, and clothing. These necessities have been stated in descending order of importance to man. But because of its unlimited abundance and its ready availability, air is taken for granted by man; and the generality of the people have never cared much to reflect on its importance to man’s existence, let alone its importance to man’s healthy and happy existence.

The air we inhale and that which we exhale are differently composed.

The one consists of:

1. Nitrogen 79.00%
2. Oxygen 20.95%
3. Carbon dioxide 0.05%

 

The other consists of:

1. Nitrogen 79.5%
2. Oxygen 16.5%
3. Carbon dioxide 4.5%

 

Of the air we breathe in, oxygen is by far the most important, though it constitutes only 20.95 per cent of the total volume, The percentage of carbon dioxide in inhaled air ranges from 0.02 to 0.05. For sound and health existence, it must never exceed 0.06% in volume.

It is an established fact, however, that the volume of carbon dioxide in the composition of the air we inhale varies in inverse ratio with the volume of oxygen, In other words, whenever the volume of carbon dioxide increases, that of oxygen proportionately decreases; and vice versa. This proposition is clearly borne out by the composition of expired air set out above. There it will be seen that carbon dioxide gains 3.9 per cent from oxygen, whilst the latter loses only a bare 0.5 per cent to nitrogen. That is to say, proportionately we inspire more oxygen, but expire more carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, it is an established fact that oxygen is present in requisite volume in open air, and in a well-ventilated house. On the other hand, carbon dioxide is present in greater volume than is required for healthy living in an unventilated house or compartment. A still greater volume of carbon dioxide will be present if the burning of firewood, paraffin, or charcoal- a fairly rich source of carbon dioxide – also takes place inside the unventilated “house or compartment.

We have noted that less oxygen, and hence more carbon dioxide, than is proportionately-relatively present in the open air or in a well-ventilated house or compartment, is dangerous to man’s healthy and happy living. It follows, therefore, that man should on no account – that is ifhe desires to live a healthy and happy life – inhabit an unventilated house or compartment, nor should he allow the burning of firewood, charcoal, or paraffin in a naked lamp, in the living parts of his house.

It follows further that the provision of modern houses, and even lighting, at moderate costs to the masses of the people is not at all a luxury scheme, but a necessitous project which any enlightened

Government is in duty bound to pursue with speed and a sense of urgency.

The air we inspire is one thing, but the manner in which we inspire it is another. It is now generally agreed in civilized and educated circles that there is a scientific way of breathing. Most people, except the athletes and those who do work that involves physical exertion, do not use “their lungs correctly or to the full. And to the extent that the lungs are wrongly or deficiently employed even so much is a man’s breathing defective and his chance of health proportionately diminished. It is the lungs that purify the blood with which the heart feeds everyone of the numerous tissues and innumerable cells of the body. Jfthe blood is pure and rich, the organs of the body will be healthy and rich. The converse is also true.

It is clear, therefore, that it is not enough that man should breathe in pure air; it is equally important that his lungs should be filled full, so that by the latter working to the full extent of their capacity, the requisite quantity and quality of blood will flow in the veins of man.

The next necessity of life in order of importance is water. It has been estimated that more than 60 per cent of the diseases with which

Nigerians – and indeed Africans – are afflicted are waterborne. In other words, the incidence of disease among Nigerians will, other rules of health being observed, be considerably reduced by the simple process of making the water we drink free from bacteria and impurities. The quality of the water we drink,  directly or indirectly, is therefore, a vital issue in human education and culture. This proposition is fully supported by the educated members of our society. But in practice, this class of people – even the professional teachers among them- pay very little regard to the quality of the water they drink, whilst the masses of the people are prepared to imbibe any liquid, from any river, stream or pond, to quench their thirst.

As we have seen, the ignorance of our people regarding the quality of the water they drink is colossal. But only a very few people in Nigeria – or in the whole world for that matter – pay any attention at all to the quantity of their daily intake of liquid.

It is not generally realized that 70 per cent  of a man’s body weight is water. It is probably well known – since the fact is too palpable “ to be overlooked – that the bulk of the blood and intercellular fluid in the body consists of water. What is definitely not generally . known is that the water content in various parts of the body must be maintained at a fairly constant level. ,For instance, there must not be too much or too little water in the blood.

An excessive intake of water or liquid will overtax the kidneys, and can even produce fatal water poisoning. Similarly, a deficient intake or a relatively excessive loss of water or liquid will produce dehydration which depending on its degree, will result in ailments or death.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

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