1909 Letter From Strongman Paul Von Boeckmann creator of the Pneumauxetor Beathing device. Also includes an Exercise Booklet that Paul recommends to his patient in Iowa City, Iowa Paul Von Boeckmann was an American strongman and writer associated with the physical culture movement. Boeckmann was an instructor in health and bodybuilding in New York City. He developed a unique system of chest expansion methods which allowed him to build “the largest and most powerful lungs in the world” at least according to his advertisement. He was able to inflate and deflate his chest to an astonishing degree: an 11.5 inch difference, while his lung capacity was listed at 410 cubic inches. A one-time professional cyclist, Von Boeckmann also won several championships in wrestling and weightlifting. Likewise, Von Boeckmann's hand strength enabled him rip a quarter-sized chunk out of a 52-card deck and tear a deck of cards into eigths.