Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-22
keep Your Mouth Shut,

The peculiar arrangement OF the narrowed
ARD branched and delioately-fCrn.shad nas3
passages are specially suited to strain the air
and 10 warm 1t before it enters the lungs. Tie
foul snd siCkening efiiuvia which one meets in
days travel through the crowded city are
breathed with greater impuntty through the
Lose than through the mouth. Raw air, in
hailed through the mouth. induces hoarseness,
coughs, etc.
The great actor Cooke, when dying, told his
friend and faithful attendant, Broster, that al
though he could make no bequest Ia mon ey, he
would give him something worth money. He
then advised Broster to set up as a teacher Of
elocution, and to impart to his pupils. on condi-
ton OF large fee and solemn promise not to
divulge 1t, the secret of his (Cooke's) extraor-
binary powers OF voice and its unflagging quail
lIy, Whlch was TO carry on respiration through
the nostrils, so as not to dry or rritate the delft
cate organs OF the voice. Broster took this ad-
vice and used 1t so well as to retire
with fortune. He made every young
Clergyman, who took lessons, sign bond thai
in the event Of his becoming bishop he would
pay further fee OF 100 guineaS. John Thewau
inherited the secret from Broster, and used it
with similar reserve and profit; but his son. on
being appointed college lecturer on public
reading and speaking, disclosed the secret to all
his pupils as a thing OF the greatest importance
TO them.
Mr.. Pitman gives an epitome of the expert
ence OF Mr.. Geo. Catlin in his travels among the
Indians, OF whom he visited $50 tribes. Every
where he found the Indian women careful to
press together the lips OF their children after
leaving the breast, and before being suspended
In their narrow cradles in the open air, and he
found 1t to be a very rare thing to hear OF a
death during childhood among any of the tribes
before strong drinks and new diseases were in
PRODUCED among them by the whites. 1t Is said
that no animal but man ever sleeps with his
mouth open, and that the lungs need degree
OF rest from labor which they get with the mod
crate Inhalation that, with low pulse, attends
perfect nightly repoSe.
Mr. Catlin attributes his escape from malarlal
feyers, and his actual recovery from pulmonary
weakness, to strict observance OF the rule to
keep the lips and teeth closely shut. When he
went TO the wilderness he was feeble. He found
himself compelled to sleep in the open, dewy
air. His one main precaut,on secured the entire
restoration OF his health and vigor. He found
that all Indians had good teeth, which remained
sound to Old age, and that there were no slut
tererS among them.
In his closing paragraphs he advises that
mothers at home, and teachers in seminaries.
should make n ghtly rounds as long as neces,,
sary to put stop to the unnatural, dangerous
and disgusting habit OF sleeping with the
mouth open. mo one who has been snoring
through the night feels properly refreshed In
the morning. Keep your mouths shut, my
young readers-when you read silently, when
you write, when you listen, when you are in
pain, when you are walking or riding, and by
all means when you are angry"