The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-06-29
WHY PERSONS syORE.
The Habit Cured by Force of Will, or the
Use Of a Harness for the Jaw.
New York sun


II NAV not be generally known that 1t Is
the vibration Of the velum pendulum palati
which causes snoring. but il is no less a mat
ter OF interest TO a great many people who
snore themselves or are annoyed by snorers.
DIR. Lewis II. Sayre, of Fifth avenue, was
asked why people snore.
Because they don't shut their mouth, y
he said.
What is snoring?'
"Well, its common enough" said DIR.
Sayre; and in an off-hand manner he ex-
planned that snoring is noise made in the
pOsterior part of the mouth and nasal fosste
during the moments of inspiration. 1t is
due to a relaxation OF the levator palati
mOllis and the circumiexus palati IN sleep,
by which the velum pendulum palati IS left
free to vibrate or flap in the'tw0 currents OF
the air which enter at the same time through
the nOstrils and the mouth. Besides the
vibration of the velum pendulum palatl, or
the soft palate, there is also a vibration OF
the column of air itself. Thus is produced
the rasping, s~norting noise so well known
and so unpleasant to everyone except the
placid snorer himself.
DR.. Sayre was asked what caused snoring.
when a man is fatigued," be said, land
his self-control is unusually relaxed in
sleep, he is apt to let his lower Jaw drop
down. No man was ever seen or heard 10
snore with his mouth shut. The moral IS
obvious. The soft palate flaps like a shingle
in the wind and the near ~neighbors OF the
snorting sleeper are cOTrespOndingly dis
turbed. Now, the Indians never snore.
They think it a disgrace. An Indian believes
that if he shores when he Is young he Will
grow up to be even less handsome at matu-
rity thar nature originally intended His
vanity, therefore, is enough to make a saw
age sleep in a proper position.
A ~weII-knOwn physician uptown, whose
practice has been largely in cases OF affection
OF the respiratory system, was asked whether
snoring was a disease
Not so much a disease as a bad habit he
said, but am frequently called upon to
prescribe for its cure
'Can it be eured?'
Easily
why do elderly or corpnlent people COM
monty snore?'
Because their systems are generally more
relaxed in sleep and their mOHths then fall
open. Anyone will be likely 10 snore II he
sleeps with his mouth open, and no one Will
if he shuts it."
"How can the habit be curedg'
First, you must give a person a chance
to breathe through the nose, and then make
him do so. If there is any obstruction in
the nasal passage, that must be removed by
treatment. Then if a snorer can't keep his
mouth shut by force of will. his jaw must be
tied up. A harness for the lower Jaw Is
sometimes employed in bad cases of snoring.
A skull cap worn upon the head serves 10
hold a system of straps under the chin and
keep the mouth shut until the patient can
form a habit of sleeping on his side, or
with his mead sufficiently elevated to hold
his jaw"
sis it an easy matter to hold ones jaw
when asleep?''
Hardly more so than when awake"
why is snoring then so common if 1t is
so easily cured?'
Because catarrhal troubles are so COM
mon, which prevent free inspiration through
the ~nostrils. In sleeping cars and in hotels
one frequently hears the resonant snore, be-
cause people in those places usually go to
sleep tired out. An old doctor used to adj
vocate sleeping on the face to guard against
the possibility of snoring.