Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1914-01-09
YOUR NOSE.

a repugnant Odor reminds US At
| times that we possess sense Ct
J smell, and cold in the head IS
apt to make us wish that there
was no such thing as a nose.
Beyond these points, however,
we rarely penetrate, and as
rule we fail to fully realize what
an imprtant part of the human
/ anatomy is this most prominent
feature of the face.
No stove or furnace that ever
was made by man can equal IN
efficiency the human nose, for the
nose, in the space of three inches
and in two seconds Of time, can
raise the temperature of the air it
draws in nearly fifty degrees and
at the same time saturate it with
moisture and thoroughly purify
| il.
The nose is really Que of the
most extraordinary organs OF the
body. Its nerves are more sensi.
tive than those of fingers or ears
or eyes, for they can perceive
distinctly an almost incredibly
minute amount of gas SO subtle
that its presence can be detected
in no other way. 1t is also a
perfect filter and thus the most
important guardian of the body
against disease.
All air that is breathed into
the lungs should be at temper
a ture of nearly 90 degrees f. LII
should also be moist, even wet.
Cold, dry air is fine for the out
side of the body, but has no
place in its interior. In healing
the air the nose works Oil the
principle of a steam coil. 1t IS
not merely two tubes leading up|
into the head and so down to tie
throat, but from the bones on
either side three twisted bones
curl out into the passage, one
above the other, each coated
with elastic cushions of blood
vessels and tiny glands. These
form coils with a great, hot,
damp surface, over which the
air spreads as it is drawn up.
Thus is the air warmed for its
entrance to the lungs.
A furnace maker told the pres
ent writer that any man who
could invent an efficient appa-
ratus for mixing moisture with
air in its passage through hot
air furnace could make fortune,
as every device now in use is only
a makeshift and of very little
real value. The Almighty
Maker OF the human and the
animal-nose solved the problem.
The entire surface of the inside
of the nose lis composed of a
mem brane that pours forth a
flued called mucus. This is CON-
posed largely of salt water, which
is taken up by the passing air
until this is satura tued before it
reuches the throat.
This mucus is also microbe
cate her and a dust catcher. AL
most all the dirt and germs of
disease that enter with the air
through the nostrils are trapped
by the mucus. The living enc
mics are killed, for the mucus is
antiseptic and gerinicidal. Thus
the air is healed, lnoistened and
purified before it reaches the
lungs.
Air breathed in through the
mouth is not warmed, moistened
| or purified except to- a very slight
extent. Consequently it reaches
the lungs cold, dry and laden
with dust and disease. Bron-
chitis, tonsilitis, diptheria and
consumption are the result.
The mucous membrane of the
| nose is subject to diseases such
| as catarrh, cold in the head'
| and hay fever. Adenoids grow
in the back of the nose and step
up it's tubes. A simple and easy
operation will remove the latter,
while the former if taken when
| they first show themselves can
be cured without difficulty. If
| neglected they may become in
durable. Thus not only do they
prevent the necessary warning,
| moistening and filtering of the
| air, but they spread and cause
many diseases OF the throat and
lungs and. are the conlmonest
cause of serious and intensely
painful trouble with the ears.