BREATHING HABITS 155 



soon gets what is called his " second wind." On the 

 contrary, the mouth breather, who may have seemed 

 stronger at first, quickly gets out of breath and has to 

 stop. 



There are two reasons for this. The first, of course, 

 is that the air which reaches the lungs of the nose 

 breather is better fitted for its work. The second, 

 that when air comes in through the small orifices of the 

 nose the period of inspiration is longer, and the heart 

 can perform its work more easily than when the larger 

 and more direct route of the mouth is used. 



Do we want to avoid the misfortune of distorted 

 faces? Is it our desire to understand as well as our 

 natural gifts permit? Do we wish to be as free as 

 possible from troublesome and dangerous diseases? 

 Would we be able to do our best in athletic games 

 and in vigorous work? Then we must fix the habit 

 of nose breathing as one of our most precious rights. 



It is a well-known fact that mouth breathers are 

 much more likely to have croup, enlargement of the 

 tonsils, catarrh, bronchitis, pneumonia, consumption, 

 and other diseases than are those who breathe through 

 the nose. On this account, the right habit cannot be 

 started too early. 



Snoring is one of the common signs of mouth breath- 

 ing. It is usual to regard snoring without particu- 

 lar concern. If referred to at all by other members 

 of the family, it is likely to be in a joking manner. 

 How much wiser and kinder it would be, if, instead 



