Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-08
GEstNnUEIT.
The History and Philosophy OF the
Function Commonly Termed surextnr

The History and Philosophy Of the
Functfoa Commonly Termed sn~eYinw
From the Philadelphia Press.
Such a common everyday thing as sneez-
ing 10 not supposed to be rife with any
special Importance or mystery yet II is in
terestfng to discover how many omens and
fuperstitfons OF olden times were connected
with It Superstition. that unknown. mys-
ferrous FEAR which controls us in spite Of
our reason. clings to and directs us in even
tne most common acts OF life. How many
are there among us. clear-headed and prac-
teal though We may consider ourselves
VINO do not connect some pet superstition
with simple events. "a the breaking OF n
r1irror the burning OF an ear. the finding
or horse shoe or four-leaf clover or The
spllIing OF salt? And many a mother
would rather her baby had the Group than
rave him look In the glass before ne is a
year old, or sneeze at an unlucky season.
And In connection with sneezing alone
there are more superstitions than are gem
orally realized
This is simple act in itself. and SEEM
lngiy would give very little cause for super
sutton. According to a popular definition
sneezing Is natural respiratory move
ment, interrupted by a strong exploratory
enort. expelling the air through the nose
with more or less noise" This action may
be brought on by the inhalation of dust
pungent vapors, or by the simple inspira-
ton OF air when the membrane is diseased
or In an irritable condition. as in the case
OF cold. There rs also spot in the head
the touching OF which will cause sneezIne
In many people. BARRIERS are aware OF this
Iact, as their gentle manipulations are Of
ten greeted with round of sneezes This
rs supposed to be caused by the touching
or small and extremely sensitive nerve
which runs from the top OF the head to
the nostril, and is much more sensitive with
some than with others.
1inD &c
and healthful action. and ia courted by peo-
pie who believe in its efficacy by looking
lntently at the sun until the desired action
occurs. Consumptives are said never TO
sneeze, and many an unfortunate victim of
tnis disease gauges the probability of his
recovery by this standard
The old custom OF saying God bless you''
when sneeze Is heard is of ancient origin,
ana sun prevails in oriental countries In
the time OF St Gregory the Great AT a Ger.
tan season the air was filled with an un-
wholesome vapor of malaria which so af-
fected the people that those who sneezed
We're at once stricken with death agonies.
In this strait the pontiff is said to have de-
vised a form of prayer to be uttered when
the paroxysm was seen to be coming on,
ana winch. II was hoped, would avert the
stroke of the death angel.
SneeZing is mentioned in works Of rnvtb
oiogy. and IL is said that the first sign OF
lie given by the cunningly wrought image
OF Prometheus was lusty sneeze. Aristo-
tie. In writing of this subject saws that
those who thought the seat of the soul TO
be In the brain looked upon sneezing as
'one of the most sensible and manifest
operations of the brain"
Sneezing has been thought lucky or nm
lucky. according to the day of the week on
which the action occurs According to the
old Jingle from the Lancaster folk lore:
Sneeze on a Monday. you sneeze for dangerf
Sneeze on Wednesday, you sneeze for O
letter:
sneeze on Thursday. for something bet
Sneeze on q Friday you'll sneeze for son.
sneeze on Saturday. your sweetheart to-
morrow:
sneeze on Sunday. your safety seek:
For the devil will have you the rest OF the
In ancient books we find many references
to this act, as in the Odyssey. where the
sneezing Of Telemachus is accepted as a
pleasing confirmation of the words OF his
mother, Just at a time when she is de-
nouncing the riotous gormandizing suitors,
and praising the valor of Ulysses:
She spoke-Telemachus then sneezed
aloud,
Constrained, his nostril echoed through the
crowd;
The smiling queen the happy omen blessed,
SO may these impious fall, by fate OPP
pressed"
Great results often grow from small acts.
Oh SAduiplc VI WHICH Is seen IN the time
when the fate of the whole Greek army
was decided by so common and natural an
occurrence as the sneeze of soldier
w nile Aenophon was delivering his famous
address to the army. urging his compan-
Ions to be firm and bold. and while they
were undecided as to whether resistance or
retreat were the better part, a sounding
sneeze was heard down the ranks This
omen was at once accepted, tents and all
accouterments burned and that
retreat (since SO famous). with all its hard
ships and dangers was begun.
An old proverb says: Two or three
sneezes be wholesome" and there is a prd-
verb to the effect that when a patient has
sneezed three times he may be discharged
from the hospital.
Even where sneezing is considered a
favorable omen, the time of day is some-
times thought to determine its good or Ill
eject as sneeze which takes place from
noon to midnight is thought to be auspi-
cious, while one occurring from midnight to
noon is quite otherwise. Among the many
superstitions concerning death we have one
In regard to this act: thus, IL one sneezes
Tor three successive nights IL is accepted as
token that death will take place in the
FAMILY. or. IL not DEATH that some other
dire calamity will befall them
1t would certainly be more sensible for
intelligent people to take the common sense
view OF the subject, and look upon this
sneezlng simply as a sign" that We are
cold, and as warning to move
out OF draught; yet many will cling to
these other signs and warnings" of the
superstiuous.