The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-17
The Habit OF Mouth Breathing.

The Habit Of Mouth Breathing.
It is certainly remarkable that so
little has been written on a subject SO
important as mouth breathing. 1t APP
pears, indeed, that DIR. Cassells. of
Glasgow, communicated, four years
ago. an interesting paper on this topic
to the Edinburgh Medical journal, but
the scope of that essay was confined to
the consideration of the habit as a
cause Of aural troubles. II has been dis
cussed. also. from a general sanitary
point OF view by Mr.. George Catlin,
well known as the portrayer of Indian
life and customs. But wenow have for
the first time an exhaustive treatment
of the subject by DIR. Clinton Wagner.
Dr. Wagner begins by pointing out
that man is by nature a nose breather,
the practice of mouth breathing being
acquired through carelessness. ignor-
ance or a local trouble which renders
nasal breathing difficult or impossible.
The unweaned infant always breathes
through its nose; unless it did the act
of sucking could not be performed.
From observations made by Honsell in
the Freiburg clinic, it appears that in
healthy infants the mouth is almost al
ways closed during sleep, the tongue
lying in contact with the hard palate. and
the mouth not acting as an air passage.
The relation which the nose bears to
the functions of respiration is too often
overlooked by persons suffering from
bronchial or pulmonary disorders. IL
can easily be verified by experiment
that the air in its passage through the
tortuous channels of the nose is raised
to the temperature of the BODY before
it reaches the larynx. No matter how
low the temperature may be. the sense
of cold is never experienced below the
border of the soft palate SO long as
breathing is carried on with closed
mouth. Moreover, the air thus inhaled
is moistened by the natural secretions
which cover the turbiuated tones in a
condition of health, and the short,
bristly hairs at the oritices of the
nOstrils act rs a filter or sieve TO arrest
dust and other impurities which the air
may contain, and which if drawn in by
the mouth, may act as an exciting
cause. in developing laryngeal, bronchial,
or pulmonary trouble. 1t is even as
serted that man can inhale through his
nose for a certain time mephitic air in
the bottom of a well without harm;
whereas if he opened his mouth to
answer a question or call for help. his
lungs are closed. and he expires.
The causes which lead to habitual
mouth breathing are to be looked for in
the nose. mouth or throat. Until re-
Gently the methods of examining the
nose were SO imperfect that a correct
diagnosis was, in many cases, imprac-
ticable; but now, with the aid of the
rhinoscope and by means Of a strong
reflected light thrown up through the
nostrils, dilated by q proper spectrum,
it is possible to recognize any obstruc-
ton to the passage of air. Some in
stances of c~ongenital, imperforate nos
trils r reported, and the like occlu-
sion may be caused by a electrical
contraction from scalds or burns. For
eign bodies, too. such as buttons, seeds
or stones. may lodge in the inferior
meatus, which is the passage chiefly
concerned in breathing. and thus pro-
duce complete or partial closure. A
general thickening or hy~pertrophy of
the C membrane, covering the
turbinated bones. such as is found in
chronic nasal catarrh. would, in some
cases, completely shut up one or both
passages. Indeed, a slight congestion
from an ordinary cold may so nearly
close the air channels that breathing
through the nose becomes for the time
very difficult The mouth is therefore
resorted to, and thus the pernicious habit
may be unconsciously acquired. Among
the mouth causes which interfere with
proper nasal respiration the most COM
mon are enlarged tonsils. The glands
press the ve!um upward and backward
against the p~osterior wall of the
pharynx. and prevent the passing of air
from the nose to the larynx. Irregular,
Uneven or protruding teeth, by OBJ
s~tructing perfect closure of the mouth.
may also give rise to the practice of
mouth breathing.
DIR. Wagner tells us that habitual
mouth breathers can be at once recog-
nized. as the practice stamps itself in
delibly on the physiognomy. The re-
tracted lips, open mouth, receding
gums, ~protruding teeth, diminished
size of the oriiices of the nostrils, the
wrinkles of the outer angles of the eyes,
and the lines extending from the wings
of the nose to the angles of the mouth,
gives the persons addicted to this habit
. silly, and, sometimes, idiotic express
sion. The nasal ducts, being vacated,
like disused roads that grow up to
grass and weeds, become the seat of
pOlypus and other diseases; the sense
Of smell is greatly weakened or alto
gether lost; the contour of the nose is
changed, and it acquires an unde-
veloped or atrophic appearance. The
sense of hearing may be affected, the
injury ranging from slight impairment
to total deafness through habitual
mouth breathing. According to Cas-
sells the air must pass through the
nose, otherwise it can not reach the
cavity. Dry sore throat is
one Of the most distressing diorders re-
from the habit under discussion.
The practice known as Hawking" is a
symptom of this trouble. The
hawker is always 3 mouth breather,
md the unpleasant sound is made in
Re effort to dislodge the hard, dry and
1acious mucous from the pharynx and
Ru Of the mouth. In all
~ . caused by nasal
air 8 tone VI