The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-17
MOUTH BREATHING.


A once-celebrated pamphlet with the
title Shut Your Mouth" set forth to
our grandfathers the advantages of
breathing through the nose and the in
juries that might result from mouth
breathing, says the Literary Digest
The latter. however. was treated mere
ly us pernicious habit that might be
overcome. whereas it is now general
ly recognized as the result of abnormal
conditions. generally nasal obstruc-
ton. Dr. ]. T, Case states the conji-
tions and results very clearly. He
says:
Normally one should breathe. not
through the mouth but through the
nose. The nostrils. while apparent
ly small at the external opening. soon
widen out into a large, double air
chamber great deal larger than one
would suppose without having studied
into the matter. The air current, after
traversing this nasal chamber, then
makes a sharp bend into the naso-
pharynx (the expanded upper part Of
the throat). The air then passes
through the pharynx, past the tonsils.
and into the larynx and windpipe. and
is then distributed to the lungs. Into
the nasal cavity project three scroll
like bones, called 'turbinates,' lined by
a sort Of erectile tissue. which is rich
ly supplied with blood-yessels These
turbinates are like the nues of a boil.
er afording large moist and warm
surface by which air is exposed to
heat, so that In travelling a distance Of
scarcely more than two inches it Is
both heated and mostened. Two-thirds
Of pint of water Is daily taken ND
from the nasal mucous membrane BY
the air passing into the lungs The
stiff hairs in the nasal openings strain
out the coarSer dust particles. while
the finer dust and germ-laden specks
adhere to the moist walls Of the nasal
or pharyngeal cavities, as one can cas-
lily demonstrate by blowing the nose
after an hours work in the dust, The
warming and moistening of the air
thus prevents the entrance into the
bronchi of cold. dry, dusty air which
would be irritating to the delicate lin
ing of the lungs. In the case OF the
mouth-breather. the protective inf1u-
ence of this warming, molstening. and
purifying process is lost There is also
a nasal secretion which helps to de.
stroy the bacteria which enter with
the air, The sense OF smell, located in
the nostrlls should also warn against
the presence of poison-laden air lust
as the sense OF taste warns us against
undesirable food"
Misunderstanding. DR.. Case tells us, Is
generally the result OF obstruction of
the nasal cavities. either by foreign |
bodies, by enlarged tonsils. by growths |
such as adenoids or nasal polpi or by
detormity OF the nasal bones. Says |
DR.. Case:
Mouth breathers waken in the morn
Ing with open, dry mouth, foul-smer-
ing breath. persistent hoarseness. |
sometimes headaches and a loss OF |
appetite. The physical expression is
characteristic and indicates mental |
listlessness. The nose becomes
pinched and the root of the nose (be-
tween the eyes, llattened: the lips are
thickened and the upper lip is shorten (
ed SO that the upper front teeth show.
On account OF the nasal obstruction.
the lungs are ineuficiently expanded
and the chest assumes the character.
istic deformity called pigeon breast
the lower part of the chest and the
sides being depressed and the breast