The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-03-07
WHY PEOPLE SHORE.
Scientific Explanation and Simple
Remedy Given by Ply
stefan,

The snore of the heavy sleeper APP
pears at last to be receiving the con-
sideration from wakeful sufferers that
the Nervousness of the offense merits.
1t may not be popularity known that
snoring is merely the vibration of the
velum pendulum palati, but it is no
less a matter of interest to a great
many people who either snore them
selves or are annoyed by snorers, says
the New York Sun.
A well-known physician was asked
the other day why people snore.
Because they don't shut their
mouths" he said.
"What is snoring?"
"Well, it's common enough" said he;
and in an otf-hand fashion he explained
that snoring is noise made in The pos
terror part of the mouth and nasal
fossae during the moments of inspira-
ton.
1t is due to a relaxation of the leva-
tor palati mollis and the circumfexus
pa;at in sleep, by which the velum pen
dulum palati is left free to vibrate or
flap in the two currents of air which
enter at the same time through the
nostrils and the mouth.
Besides the vibration of the velum
pendulum palati, or soft palate, there
is also vibration of the column of air
iteself. Thus is produced the rasping,
sncvting noise so well known and so
unpleasant to everyone within earshot
of the placid snorer.
| Tho Inptnr oc1od what
snoring.
"When a man is fatigued." he said,
sand his self-control is unusually re-
Taxed in sleep, he is apt to let his lower
jaw drop down. No man was ever seen
Or heard to snore with his mouth shut.
The moral is obvious.
''The soft palate flaps like sheet
IA the wind, and the near neighbors of
the snorting sleeper are correspond
ingly disturbed. Now, the Indians
never snore. They think it disgrace.
Gan Indian believes that If he SHORES
when he Is young he will grow up to
be even less handsome at maturity
than nature originally intended. His
vanity, therefore, is enough to make
a savage sleep in proper position"
Another well-known physician up-
town, whose practice has been largely
| in cases of affections of the respira-
tory system. was asked ether snor-
ing Is disease.
mot so much disease as bad hab-
It," he said; 'but I am frequently
called upon to prescribe for its cure"
"Can it be cured?"
easily"
"Why do elderly or corpulent peo-
pie commonly snore?"
Because their systems are gener-
ally more relaxed in sleep, and their
mouths then fall open. Anyone will be
likely to snore if he sleeps with his
mouth open, and no one will If he
shuts it,"
"How can the habit be cureda"
"First, you must give a person a
chance to breathe through the nose.
and then make him do so. If there ia
eny obstruction in the nasal passage
that must be removed by trea tment
Then if the snorer can't keep his
mouth shut by force of will, his jaw
must be tied up.
ga harness for the lower Jaw is
sometimes employed in bad cases of
snoring. A skull cap worn upon the
head serves to hold system of straps
under the chin and keep the mouth
shut until the patient can form habit
of sleeping on his side, or with his
head sufficiently elevated to hold his
jaw"
SIS it an easy matter to hold ones
jaw when asleep?"
Hardly more difficult than when
awake"
"Why Is snoring. then. so common if
1t is so easily cured?"
Because catarrhal troubles are 20
common, which prevents free insplra-
ton through the nostrils. In sleeping
cars and in hotels one frequently hears
the resonant snore, because people in
those places usually go to sleep tired
out. An old doctor used to advocate
sleeping on the face to guard against
the possibility of snoring"
After all, snorers are more to be
pitied than censured. They mean no
harm to any waking mortal.