The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-03-09
keep Your Mouth Shut.

! A few years ago, George Gatlin wrote g pam,
phlet, 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 preserve health.
He has matte spbsesyations on;this subject, first
among Civilized nations, finding that individu-
ais who habitually keep their mouths, open are
never very healthy or long lived. Afterward,
he observed the same thing during asojourn OF
manyyears amoiig the Indians Of North and
South America and he has come to the con-
clusion that there exists definite Law for
breathing and sleeping, obediencs TO which
must exercise the most beneficial influence ON
the well-being of the human race, and which
cannot be too strongly insisted upon. Mothers,
and all others who have children to educate,
should be persuaded of its great importance,
Chat they may inculcate upon their children
and pupils the golden lesson contained in these
four words, FKeep your mouth Shut Hither-
to this advice has been considered only as a
moral Injunction, to restrain children from
talking too much; but Catlin prescribes it lite
rally fand insists that air should only pass in
or outof the lungs BY the nose; except in the
act of speaking or singing. BE is 30 enthusi-
sstic concerning the great value Of this simple
hygienle recipe that he closes the book with
tho following remarks: "If had million OF
dollars TO spend 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 well
as DOOR. would not obtain therefor any mon
ument nor decoration of nobility but would,
which is much better, have obtained the pecu-
liarly joyful satisfaction that had left poster
ity 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
more perfectly freed from dust, and in winter
reaches the lungs in 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 it dries
the saliva, and thus interferes 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
morning, and are less subject to that nocturnal
social misunderstanding.
There are few other points of minor impor-
tance, but worth mentioning. A habitually
open mouth gives most stupid expression to
any face, and, usually, only the ignorant class
es have this habit; while the more refined gen.
orally possess the opposite habit, and keep
their mouths instinctively shut.
aHowever;.in regard to the theory that life is
shortened by the habit of breathing through
the mouth; We are satisfied that it depends on
another cause, namely, defect in the primary
organization of the Individual. The channels
of the nose are often not left wide enough to
admit sufficient air for respiration; so that the
individual is compelled to respire at least a
portion of it through the mouth. 1t is a fact
known by connoisseurs of horses, that when
their nostrils are too narrow they cannot 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 de-
feet 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 q
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 tmey still mitigate the evil-Manufac-
turer and Bladder.