NOSES IN DANGER

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1919, Page 4

NOSES IN DANGER

• ■ WHAT 10,000 LONDON FACES REVEALED. Several hours spent by a medical man early) in -April in the study of 10,---000 to 12,000 faces of Londoners going to or coming from their Avork, established two facts: this is not a C 3 city and that 90 per cent., of Lpndoners do not breathe through their nose. | London Bridge and Liverpool street ' stations were the vantage points. The only difference between North and South. Londoner appeared to be that jon the average the northern women have better complexions than those of the south. I The general expression of the- faces • was strained, indicating . nervous or i mental stress of varying dpgree;. very few appeared to take much interest in their surroundings. A very- prominI ent feature was the senseless nervous j biting of the lips, and it was obvious , that those doing thig-were quite unconscious of the habit. J This examination, rapid • though it ■waß,brings out the chief cause ,of_ bad ■ health; more than\9o per cent, of the I persons observed, appeared to breathe • ! through their mouth, instead of. through their, nose. Mouth-breathing lays • one open to practically all the so-cal-led epidemic diseases in this country, particularly consumption. The nostrils of many were noticeably' smaller owing to the disuse, an it might well be feared' that noses : will " gradually disappear but . for the winter colds in the head, which give this neglected organ much needed exercise. Coughs and .anaemia wer,e 'to- a certain extent in evidencCj but the ; general...physical [appearance, of the faces ..was. good -and belied* the impression of a C 3;nation.' • About' 3 .per cent.- wore' glasses. It may well be that th£ .eyesight-. is improving, due to the adyance'in optical science, improvement-; in^ printing^ and the public being educated .into obtaining, p"roperly • adjusted ' glasses,, andj' what is more important, haying them readjusted from time '■ to i *time. " -.'. The nervous strain of the past few . years and . city life generally showed, in a number /who, by waiting about were 1 iinder observation 'longer-.;;' - -Delicate trembling •of the muscles round the eye and corners of the mouth cquld be seen. Absolute^ repose was; rare, but this may /also be, ,due to .the. rush;, 3iffi-, culfcy, and strain of journ'eyin ; gH'o ; "-"and from town just at preseni. . " ■', ']■ ''" There was a ,marke,d .'• din'erence in the appearance ~\ of fatigue .-, inj, those "workers ' retur iiing \at v 5 ; o 'clbefc . ; and those returning at 6. O'clock^ "the former, except "in the case of obviously; 1 heavy manual. , workers, showing 'Httle; liSraco pfvlatiguev,., ■„/.•■ ..■.."