The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-03-09
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

A few years ago, George Catlin wrote o
pamphlet. which was published in England
and is now being translated in most other
European languages, on the Importance 0l
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 habtually keep their
mouths open are never very healthy or long
lived. Afterward, he observed the same thing
during sojourn of many years among the In.
dians of North and South America; and he has
come to the conclusion that there exists a defin.
ite law for breathing and sleeping, obedience
to which must exercise the most beneficial in.
fluence on the well-being of the human race,
aud which cannot be too strongly insisted upon.
Mothers, and all others who have children tO
educate, should be persuaded of it's great i'm
portance, that they may inculcate upon their
children and pupils the golden lesson contained
in these four words, Keep your mouth shat.
Hitherto this advice has been considered only
as moral Injunction, to restrain children from
talking too much; but Catlin prescribes it lit
orally. and insists that mir should only pass in
or out of the lungs by the nose, except in the
act OF speaking or singing. He is SD enthusi-
astic concerning the great value of this simple
hygenic recipe that he closes the book with
the following remarks: "If had a million
dollars TO speRd for charitable purpose. sur
passing all others in value. would spend it To
print four millions of my books, and distribute
them among four million mothers, rich as we'll
as poor. would not obtain therefor any mon.
ument nor decoration of nobility; but would
which is much better-have obtained the Pc
cullarly joyful satisfaction that had left pos
terity legacy of much higher value than
money ever can have"
There is no doubt that the advice is good.
The air. by being inhaled through the nose, is
most perfectly freed from dust, and in winter
reaches the lungs in u warmer condition than
when inhaled by the mouth. which is of great
Importance to people with weak lungs. 1t keeps
the lower forward portion of the brain cool.
when inhaled by the nose; while il dries the
saliva, aud thus nterferes with digestion, when
inhaled by the mouth; and those who sleep
with their mouths shut will not have that dry,
unpleasant taste when they awake in the mora
ing. and are less subject 10 that noctural social
misunderstanding
There are q few other points of minor i'm.
portance, but worth mentioning. 4 habitually
open mouth gives n most stupid expression
to any iace. and, usually. only the ignorant
classes have this habit; while the more refined
generally possess the opposite habit. and keep
their mouths instinctiyely shut.
However, in regard to the theory that life
is shortened by the habit oi breathing through
the mouth. we are satisfied that il depends ou
another cause, namely. defect in the primary
organization of the Individual. The channvls
OF the nose are often not left wide enough %
admit sufficient air for respiration; SD that the
individual is compelled 10 respire at least n
portion of il through the mouth Ii is fact
known by connosseurs Of horses, that when
their nostrls are too narrow they cannot stand
much fatigue, are short-winded. never live
long. aud soon break down. But, rs the horse
cannot breathe through bis mouth at all, the
defect in question is more dangerous to him
thap to man, and often fatal when he 10 over
worked.
In many instances, however, we feel conf
dent that breathing through the mouth is a
matter Of necessity, at least in part; but though
the defect in the construction of the breathing
passages cannot be overcome by an effort OF
the will, it may still mitigate the evil