CHAPTER XI 

 HYGIENE OF RESPIRATION 



270. Dust. The cilia of the air passages stop most of 

 the dust before it reaches the lungs, but not all. If the 

 dust is excessive, millions of particles enter the lungs. If 

 a housekeeper would examine the air of the room with a 

 beam of light reflected by a mirror during the time of 

 sweeping, she would often be horrified, and would heed 

 the caution of those who say that every door and window 

 should be opened before beginning to sweep, and allowed 

 to stay open for two hours afterward. If there is a 

 breeze, so much the better ; it blows the dust out, 

 especially if she sweeps in the direction of the breeze. It 

 is the presence of dust floating in the air, more than 

 fragments of trash upon the floor, that makes a dirty 

 home. 



271. When a carpet is swept, dust comes from the carpet 

 itself, especially if it is old. Curtains and hangings also 

 hold dust. Hardwood floors, with rugs instead of carpets, 

 are recommended, and oilcloth and linoleum are also 

 excellent substitutes for carpets. Rugs can be conveniently 

 cleaned at any time, and the floor can be cleansed with a 

 moist cloth. Statistics indicate that among civilized races 

 a large proportion of the deaths is due to lung diseases. 

 This proportion is frequently estimated as high as one 

 seventh of the entire number. 



272. Reasons for breathing through the Nose. (i) On 

 account of the projections of the turbinated bones and 

 processes into each nasal passage and the round-about way 



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