ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESPIRATION 
IN MAN AND WOMAN. 
(Reprint from the 
Posse Gymnasium Journal, Vol. Ill, No. i.) 
In man the abdominal respiration prevails, in woman 
the costal. What are the influences which have brought 
about this secondary sexual distinction ? The stand we 
individually take with regard to the mooted question of 
whether the abdominal breathing is injurious to woman 
or not, partly decides this one. From several reasons, 
prominent among which are the greater abdominal respir- 
ation in the and in children, and the 
development of our throat- from the keel-shaped or eliptic 
form with the greater diameter in the anterio posterior 
direction to its present rounded or lateral eliptic form, 
which development took place simultaneous with or sub- 
sequent to our assuming the erect posture, it is probable 
that the costal type of respiration is a secondary develop- 
ment brought about by divers agencies. Of whatever 
nature these agencies may have been, natural selection 
would have fixed their result if this were advantageous 
to the race. But if on the other hand the abdominal res- 
piration be of equal value to woman and man, we must 
look for an initial -course, which by its continuous action 
has perpetuated its effect without or even in spite of 
natural selection. Thus we enter upon another question 
upon which scientists do not agree-the inheritance or 
non-inheritance of acquired characters and especially 
those of use and disuse. The writer firmly believes in the desirability of deep abdominal (as well as deep costal) 
respiration in both men and women, and looks upon the 
arguments of Spencer, Heckel, e. a., in support of use- 
inheritance as far stronger and more convincing than the 
reasons of Weissman, Wallace and their followers against 
it. 
The difference in respiratory type betweerr man and 
woman I consider as a possible additional proof of use- 
inheritance. Under the supposition that no abnormal 
advantage would accrue to the sexual functions of woman 
from the change of the equal abdominal and costal respir- 
ation to the present prevalent costal type-which suppos- 
ition however, as stated, is •demreit by many-and upon 
the further supposition that sexual selection can have 
little influence upon the matter, there seems to remain 
only use-inheritance to consider as an important factor. 
In his work on respiration and also in Ermudung", 
Mosso has shown that the attention influences the breath- 
ing in such a way that the abdominal respiration increases, 
while the thorax performs less extensive movements. 
On the other hand, if the attention be allowed to wander, 
the costal respiration becomes deeper and more exten- 
sive while the diaphragm tends, as it were, to take a rest. 
If we now consider that in the savage tribes the man 
strains every faculty to have advantage over foe and prey, 
and that he must therefore be habitually on the alert (with 
increased diaphragmatic respiration) while his wife can 
attend to her duties around the hut without the necessity 
of such close attention to her work, we see easily that 
already in this low state, the difference in respiration types must develop, if use-inheritance be admitted. It 
is true that the man who had not the power of attention 
as well developed as his fellowmen would be weeded out 
by natural selection, and thus the abdominal type in men 
be more firmly established even without this agency ; but 
on the other hand we see no reason why natural select- 
ion should play any part in developing the costal type 
in women. Furthermore, we have ample evidence, 
collected by numerous investigators that the costal type 
is not so all-prevalent in the savage woman as in her more 
civilized sister. It is claimed that the dress of modern 
woman has suppressed the abdominal respiration in her 
in favor of the costal type. This is probably true, and 
if so, it is another proof of the influence of use-inheritance. 
But even without the effect of dress, there must be a great 
difference between the male and the female type of breath- 
ing from the continual and accumulated effect of atten- 
tion which is also in the civilized community much more 
constant in men than in women. His business affairs 
and professional duties require more attention than her 
household life which is more monotonous and easier be- 
comes automatic. We must no doubt also ascribe a great 
deal of importance to the influence of more or less scienti- 
fic study, which up to our generation has been exclusively 
limited to the male sex, and called for more attention in 
him. 
It would be of interest to ascertain by observation 
whether the respiratory type of an unskilled laborer 
differs from that of the artisan or the professional man, 
and also whether the costal type is less prevalent in women of a scientific education or others who are in the 
habit of keeping their attention more closely than the 
average woman. 
The sexual difference in respiration does not become 
prominent before the age of puberty or later. This may 
be urged as a proof that the respiratory movements are 
changed because of the sexual functions and as a sup- 
port for the opinion that natural selection has stepped 
in to save those women whose diaphragmatic respiration 
is least developed. But it may just as well be quoted 
in support of the opinion which is here set forth. In 
the modern community as well as in the tribe, the life of 
the children is wisc+y'alike for both sexes up to the time 
when the individual struggle for existence begins - that 
is, at the age of puberty or later. At that time the 
power of attention is drawn upon in the boys, at this time 
therefore, if the above hypothesis be true, the difference 
in respiration should appear in the individual, and ac- 
cording to the law of homochronous transmission it is at 
this period that the effect of use-inheritance should be 
observed. 
For the physical educator the question of use-inheri- 
tance is of the utmost importance and interest. With- 
out it we can only correct infirmities in the individual, 
with it we can mould the generations after us, and our 
work therefore grows in importance and dignity simulta- 
neously with the responsibility which falls upon our 
shoulders. This is the reason why I have thought the 
question to be of some interest to the readers of the P.G.J. 
Jakob Bolin, 
332 West 28th Street, New York City.