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MY BREATHING SYSTEM

thc inhaled air should be well warmed before it enters tłie lungs. This hcating cannot take place adeąuatcly unless the air is inhaled through the nose. Many chills and in-flammations arise solely from the fact that the air inhaled through the mouth is too cold for the bronclii and the mucous membranę of the lungs. Now, the interior of thc nose is splendidly arranged as a feed-lieatcr. There are one smali and two big pieces of muscle or cartilage in the inner cavity of thc nose, and between these are three irregularly fomied passages, the walls of which are entirely covered with mucous inembrane filled with warm blood, which thus constitute a very large heating-surface. The air during inhalation is dispersed over this large surfacc, and the irrcgularity of the walls of thc passages prevents it from rushing through too ąuickly. By this means even very cold air is heated to a temperaturę not much bclow that oi thc body. At the same time this inrush of fresh air forms a most eft’ective massage for the mucous membranę. If it be deprived of this massage, as is the case with mouth-brcathers, the membranę will degenerate and becomc the seat of chronic catarrh or of adenoids. a spccies of tumour or growth of the lympatic tissues of the upper part of the throat, especially prevalent in children. The prcsence of which condition may be detected by the fact that the child suffers from chronic nasal catarrh, and breathes through the mouth, which is usually held open. The obstruction and conseąuences give the child a stupid, slug-gish look. Adenoids occur chiefly in children from four to fourteen years, but very young children have been known to sufler from them. Being morbid growths they are always due to ill-conditions of the mucous membranę, and that is why all children should be taught from infancy to breathe through the nose. This may be achicvcd by the mother taking great care to close the babv’s lips whenever it is

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