The Washington times., 1911-01-06

rible handicap" in school and all
through life.
Healthy breathing is through the nose.
The cold air Is warmed for the lungs as
it goes through the long passages of the
nostrils and the throat. In these pas
threads. called 'cilia" Qike the tp-ends
of finest silk, moving ceaselessly like
little paddles).
BY these and by the mucous men,
brane in which they are set the air is Is
constantly open and air is breathed
through the mouth. the passages of the
throat and the lungs get dry too quick
ly, and dust and other impurities lodge
in the lungs.
Mouth-Breathers.
Nearly per cent of our Washington
school children are "mouth-breathers." "
Unnatural growths in the space behind
the palate ("adenoids'D make 1t hard
to breathe through the nose as one
ought to breathe. Adenoids and en-
larged tonsils develop gradually. and
cause dull eyes, listlessness, stuffy
speech, and backwardness in learning
to talk. A running nose, frequent nose
bleed, ear-ache, a cough in the effort to
clear the throat, a peculiar thick lip,
and breathing through the mouth, with
snoring in sleep, are later symptoms. In
spite of enormous appetite, the child is
poorly nourished.
Children who breathe through the
mouth are peculiarly susceptible to
diseases In general. and to tuberculo-
sis in particular.
A physician should be consulted
promptly, when any Of the symptoms
named above are noticed.
Crippled Children.
Many of the diseases of joints and OF
the spine, and deformities which used
to be regarded as incurable, we now
know may be entirely cured If young
children are properly treated. A rup-
tured child, early treated, may be rad
ically1 cured: but if treatment is ne
elected, must go through life suffering
and with greatly impaired strength and
usefulness. Many nervous affections
and mental defects are due to some
slight malformation.
The young child can not plan for
treatment. Parents are InexcusabIe
IL they neglect TO plan and act for
the child.
Medical charities gladly offer faclli.
ties for treatment to all who are moi
able to pay. There Is no excuse for you
IL you follow that ''do-nothing" system
by which careless parents by their OWL
lack of parental thoughtfulness con
denim their children TO lives of suffer.
ing.
From the point Of view of health fol-
children, the purpose of clothing is tC
protect the, body from heat, cold, rain
snow, and injuries. The amount o.
clothing needed depends on the season
of the year, and on how much the child
is exposed to the weather.
Clothing should interfere as little as
possible with the free, natural move
ments of the body: and it should never
be allowed to interfere at all with free
full breathing or with the free Circula-
ton of the blood. Protection from
dampness land especially from wet
feet is very important.
Work, Rest, and Play.
Good wholesome work, bodily or meE-
tai. seldom hurts a person. But for
children, and especially for the younger
children, 1t is best not to continue any
one particular task 100 long without
Interruptions, There should be change
or rest at frequent intervals. What
does harm is the worry that tee
often accompanies or follows troubled
work If a child worries about her
work, the cause of the worry should be
sought for until found, and should
then be removed,
1t may be that the child is not we'll
Perhaps she is not getting enough sleep
or enough recreation and exercise. Pos
sibly her lessons are too hard for her
especially II she Is not well.