SNORING, AND HOW TO STOP IT, 705 



Now, in order to snore, one must keep the mouth open, as well 

 as the nose, and in this condition the two currents of air, a and i, pass- 

 in in and out together during the acts of breathing, catch this little 

 curtain, d, between them, and throw it into rapid vibration. This 

 vibration, more or less intense and sonorous, is what we call snoring. 



It is only with the mouth open that snoring can be accomplished 

 during sleep. Awake, if the nose is closed by the thumb and finger, 

 by taking a forcible breath, it is possible to snore, and the same 

 result may be accomplished with the mouth shut and the nose open ; 

 but the muscular effort necessary to its accomplishment is more than 

 we can command during sleep, and would wake up the individual who 

 might unconsciously make the effort. 



If the mouth be closed (the natural condition during slumber), but 

 one current of air will pass to and from the lungs. This current, 

 pressing about equally upon all sides of the canal indicated at a, will 

 press the soft palate, d, forward and downward until it is applied to 

 the tongue, e, and will hold it there gently, thus preventing any sono- 

 rous vibration. 



It follows that any device which prevents the lower jaw from 

 dropping down, during the relaxation of sleep, and opening the 

 mouth, will shut out the one unnatural current of air and prevent 

 snoring. 



Fig. 2. 



I have devised the apparatus represented in Fig. 2, which consists 

 of a simple cap, a, fitting the head snugly; a cap of soft material, b, 

 fitting the chin ; and a piece of elastic webbing, c, tacked to the chin- 

 piece, and to the head-cap near the ears. The webbing can be made 

 more or less tense as may be required to effect the closure of the 

 mouth. 



The apparatus is so simple that anyone can make it; and the 

 writer hopes this explanation will recommend itself to those individ- 

 uals who, from the possession of this unfortunate habit, are a nuisance 

 to everybody excepting themselves. 



VOL. XI. i5 



