In the pre-Vatican II ritual for baptism, the priest breathed three times on the infant's face, saying: "Depart from this child, unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit."
In the blessing of the oils at the Chrism Mass, the ritual still includes the option of the bishop breathing on the chrism just before consecrating it.
In some places, the ordination of a priest included having the bishop breathe on him. At one time, the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria filled an animal skin bag with his breath, and it was taken to Ethiopia to be let loose on the person who was designated to be head of the Ethiopian Church.
When Thomas Edison was dying, Henry Ford (a friend and admirer) had Edison's son hold a test tube next to his father's mouth to capture his last breath.
The test tube with Edison's "last breath" is still on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
- Little White Book, Diocese of Saginaw