American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-08
Keep Your Mouth Shut.

Keep your mouth shut in cold weather.
The nostrils are the proper inlets and out
lets OF the breath. They are purpOsely
clrcultous. The air thus has its chill taken
OF before reaching the lungs, while on its
return, 1t restores again the warmth it has
distracted. On the contrary, the air TAX
en- In through the mouth strikes, perhaps
at temperature of zero, directly on the
most delicate Of the local organs, caus-
ing, often, hOarseness, cough, bronchitis
or pulmonary congestion.
Moreover, the nostrils are natural in
haling tubes, better than the best sold in
the shops. When the breathing is done
piration-and it is this resistance which
leads most people to form the habit
of breathing through their mouth,
causes the lungs to fill to the full,
thus calling every part of them into
necessary action, more completely
oxygenating the blood. and greatly di-
minishinS any cOnsumptive tendency. n
this latter view, it is important to breathe
through the nOstrils in warm weather as
well as in cold, and also to accustom ones
self to sleep with the mouth closed.
Keep the mouth shut when infectious
diseases are around. Air breathed through
the mouth is borne into the windpipe with
a strong rush, Carrying along the morbid
particles with which the air may be filed,
directly to the lungs, the thin membrane
of which interposes but little hindrance
When the air is breathed through the nos
trils, these particles are likely to be lodged
on their moist walls, and to be soon
washed out by the natural secretion. .
1t is well to heed this rule when breath
ing the air of any sick rOom-even con-
sumption may prove infectious to one
long shut up with it in badly ventilated
rnOm-hni iC of INN =,
cases Of typhoid fever, scarlet fever, dip
liberia, smallpox and other diseases sim
ilarly infectious. OF course there can be
no substitute for thorough ventilation
even the best disinfectants are of little
worth without it-still, it is often neces-
sary to enter rooms over whose arrange
nnents we have no control.
Keep your mouth shut when the air is
filed with dust of any kind. Dust habit
ually inhaled may prove, in time, as IA
tai as miasIna, or smallpox effiuvium. AS
with the particles of morbid matter, so it
is with dust particles inspiration through
the mouth carries them directly into the
lungs, irritating their delicate membranes,
while inspiration through the nostrils
lodges most of them along the nasal pas
sages, whence they are easily dislOdged.
Mistresses, considerate of the welfare of
their servants, will duly enlighten them
on this point.
But our rule is as good morally as phys
ically: for sometimes verse matter comes
from the mouth than ever enters it. We
say, then, though it has been said thou
sand times, keep your mouth shut when
you are angry. A smothered fire, how
ever fierce it may be, is soon out.
We cannot forbear adding, now we are
i'm the mood for it, keep your mouth shut
when you have nothing worth saying.
If you have nothing within but common
place, or nonsense. or tattle, or evil
thoughts, better let them rot inside than
pour them out on others. Besides, all
baI kept in by a strong will, reacts in
good.-Boston Waterman and Reflector.