The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-03
Keep Your Mouth shut.

A few years ago, George Catlin wrote
pamphlet, which was published in England,
and is now being translated in most other
European languages, on the Importance of
breathing through the nose, in order to pre-
serve health. He has made observations on
this subject, first among civilized nations, find
ing that individuals who habtualIy keep their
mouths open are never very healthy or long
lived. Afterward, he observed the same thing
during sojourn OF many years among the
Indians OF North and South America; and he
has come to the conclusion that there exists
definite law for breathing and sleeping, obe-
dience to which must exercise the most ben
eficial influence on the well-being of the hui
man race, and which can not be too strongly
insisted upon. Mothers, and all others who
have children TO educate, should be persuad-
ed OF its great Importance, that they may in
culcate upon their children and pupils the
golden lesson contained in these four words,
Keep your mouth shut. Hitherto this advice
has been considered only as moral ipjunc-
ton, to restrain children from talking too
much; but Catlin prescrbes it literally, and
insists that air should only pass in or out of
the lungs by the nose, except in the aat-.f
speaking or sjpnips He is so enthusiastic
concerning the <feat value of this single by
glenic recin~ that he closes the book with the
followins remarks. "If had million dollars
to spedd stor charitable purpose, surprising
apothers in value, would spend it 10 print
four millions of my books, and distribute
them among four million mothers, as well as
poor l would not obtain therefor any monu-
ment nor decoration of nobility; but would
which is much better-have obtained the
peculiarly joyful satisfaction that had LETT
posterity legacy OF much higher value than
money ever can have"
There's no doubt that the advice is good The
air, by being Inhaled through the nose, is more
perfectly freed from dust, and in winter re ach-
es the lungs in warmer condition than when
inhaled by the mouth, (which is Of great i'm
portance to people with weak lungs.) 1t
keeps the lower toward portion of the brain
cool, when inhaled by the nose while it dries
the saliva, and thus interferes with digestion,
when Inhaled by the mouth; al i those who
sleep with their mouths shut will not have
that dry, unpleasant taste when they awake
in the morning, and are less subject to that
nocturnal social misunderstanding.
There are a few other points OF minor i'm
portance, but worth mentioning. A habitual.
ly open mouth gives most stupid expires sion
to any face, aud, usually, only the Ignorant
classes have this habit; while the moe refin-
ed generally possess the opposite habit ano
Keep their mouths mstinctively shut.
However, IN regard TO the theory tha. lie is
shortened by the habit OF breathing tbrouoh
the mouth, we are satisfied that it depends On
another cause, namely, defect in the priua-
ry organization of the individual. The chan
nels OF the nose are often not lett wide enough
to admit sufficient air tor respiration; so that
the individual is compelled to respire at least
portion OF it through the mouth. 1t is a fact
known by connoisseurs of horses, that when
their Dostrlls are too narrow they can not
stand much fatigue, are short-winded, never
live long, and soon break down. But, as the
horse can not breathe through his mouth at
all, the defect in question is more dangerous
to him than to man, and often fatal when he
is Over-wOrked.
In many instances, however, we feel conf
dent that breathing through the mouth is
matter OF necessity, at least in part; but
though the defect in the econstruction Of the
breathing passages can not be overcome by an
effort Of the will, it may still mitigate the evil