Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-07-19
AVOID THESE MANNERISMs.
Blinking Your Eyes or Blowing Your
Nose May Hasten Your Death.

Blinking Your Eyes or Blowing Your
Nose May Hasten Your Death.
If you blink rapidly, or breathe
through your mouth, or pick your
teeth, stop and reflect, for life is short
ened by such little mannerisms. Ner-
vous people are especially prone to
such trifing habits, which, if once
contracted, have serious effect. Weak
sight, lung diseases and possibilities
of even worse dangers Turk behind
such simple acts, and an eminent ply
stefan declares that many fatal cases
of consumption are directly traceable
to some mere mannerism.
Breathing through the mouth will
not in itself kill one, but it is most
unwise practice, for the lungs are not
properly inflated with air. The lower
half Of those valuable organs falls
almost entirely into disuse. Persons
who breathe through the mouth dur
ing the daytime invariably continue
the practice when asleep. AS re-
suit the lung tissues are weakened
and the less able to withstand disease.
The body gets about half the amount
of oxygen it requires. Moreover, any
stray disease germs floating about are
sure to find Judgment in the sleeper's
mouth. The body is not thorough
ly refreshed, and when one wakes in
the morning with that tired feeling,
it can usually be traced to the habit
of sleeping with the mouth open. II
the habit is strongly contracted, heroic
measures are necessary. One man
was warned of the danger found that
he could not keep his mouth shut in
any other way, so he tied his jaws
firmly together before retiring each
night. Frequently there is real in
ability to breathe through the nose
comfortably because of some local
trouble, in which case specialist
should be seen.
How many people moisten their lips
with their tongue? 1t is trifing &C
ton from some standpoints, but it
may bring cancer. The lips become
drier and drier if the mannerisms be-
come a habit, and the nerves more and
more sensitive. Eventually the lips
became permanently cracked, which is
painful and annoying in itself. Should
cancer be hereditary, the subject has
an excellent chance of contracting 1t.
Blinking the eyes rapidly means par
tial loss of sight, if the habit is allow
ed to grow. Ordinarily, a person is
entitled to about twenty blinks a
minute; but a nervous blinker will
sometimes pile up the record to over
200 blinks a minute. Natural blink
ing moistens and clears the eye. Such
abnormal use of the lids, however, re-
suits in unnecessary development OF
the eyelid muscles. Besides, it in
wolves counter irritation, which acts
on the optic nerve and renders the
sight daily more weak and irritable.
The unlucky individual who finds his
eyesight becoming weaker and weaker
through excessive blinking should
keep his eyes closed for at least ten
minutes out of every hour. The lids
should also be bathed in warm water.
Where the habit has been long con-
tracted, it is impossible to read small
type, and strong light is positive
pain.
Picking the teeth seems simple
and harmless way of caring for them.
Eight persons out of ten do 1t. But
any dentist will warn you against the
practice, for it means quick decay OF
the enamel. Some nervous people
pick their teeth continually when
they have nothing else to do. AS
result the life of second set Of teeth
is shortened by six or seven years.
and there is more bodily pain in store
for the owner thereof. Dentists bills
will pile up, and you will wish that
toothpicks had been left alone. Care
fully brushing the teeth is far bet
tetr way of preserving them.-London
Express.