The San Francisco call., 1904-03-10
Why Yon Do 1t.
Nv " d = TATSON NJ n

BY ". r. G. LATSON, NJ. ID.
editor Health Culture Magazine. New York;
Copyright, 1904. by Joseph B. Bowles)
Sneezing is very common and per-
haps few people realize how impor-
tant it is. In reality a sneeze is one
Of the body's great protective devices
The air passages Of the nose are lined
by a very delicate and sensitive mem
brane. This membrane is formed OF
ciliated epithelial cells, whose millions
OF tiny arms, or ella, always move with
peculiar stroke in the direction of the
nostrils any small quantity of dust Or
other foreign matter which is thrown
upon the surface.
If, however, the foreign matter be of
greater magnitude than dust, or if it be
very irritant (as snuff, for instance).
the movement of the ella is too feeble
to remove it. Then a message is sent
to headquarters (the spinal cord) Of the
condition of things and the body pro-
ceeds to more drastic measures. A
powerful message is sent to the muscles
which control the breathing-a message
so peremptory as sometimes to momen-
tarily confuse them. After a few spas
modic movements due to this confusion
the muscles which expand the chest and
those which increase its depth contract
firmly. causing a great thrush of air
that is, a deep breath-which is at once
expelled in a violent rush through the
nose. clearing out the offending par
ticles which were beyond the powers of
the industrious but not very powerful
ciiated cells.
Sometimes the sneeze is due rather to
ar increased sensitiveness of the nerves
going from the nasal membrane to the
spinal cord than to an increase in the
amount or the irritating properties of
the foreign matter drawn into the nose.
In either of these cases the sneeze is
an effort of the body toward self-pres-
ervation-in the latter to eject an in
vading substance with which the local
protectors are unable to cope, in the
former to secure for the body an in
creased supply Of oxygen, and thereby
To relieve the slight congestion which
while present in the nasal membrane
is not confined thereto. but is general
throughout the mucous membrane OF
the body.
If this hint is taken-if the sneezer
be wise enough to afford his body the
. oxygen demanded-the congestion is re-
lieved. But if he close the window
move out Of the draft" and thus de-
prive himself Of the oxygen needed ia
work off the irritability of the mucous
surfaces producing the sneeze, the con-
gestion is aggravated. The blood re-
mains unregenerated and cold may
be the result.
A cough corresponds exactly to a
sneeze, save that the foreign matter
or the mucous irritablity is on the
membranes of the throat or wind
pipe" instead of in the upper air pas
sa ges, and cough, like a sneeze, is
/ one of the body's many beautiful de.
vices to preserve it's life activities in.
tact. The cough may be cured" by
some nostrum, but such cures pro-
duce a condition far less desira BILE
/ than the cough. Cough cures" act as
rule by reducing the sensibility OF
the nerves which carry the alarm tc
headquarters (the spinal cord). The
cough stops and the matter. instead
of being coughed away as before. is
allowed TO accumulate, producine
complications often of a grave ma.
! ture. The best cure for a cough is tc
cough as long as there is anything tc
cough away.