Italian Adenoids

Throughout Italy last week municipal authorities were in possession of a circular letter sent them by their prefects. The prefects in their turn had received similar letters from Premier Benito Mussolini to the effect that there must be no more adenoids in the realm.

Adenoids are an overgrowth of the glandular tissue above the soft palate and back of the nasal passages. They can be felt by sticking the forefinger into the adenoidal individual's mouth and hooking the first phalanx of the finger over his soft palate. The finger will come out covered with blood, for the adenoids bleed very easily.

An adenoidal person is easily recognized. His mouth is usually open, because the adenoids hinder nose breathing, his facial expression is vacant, his breathing noisy, his hearing more or less impaired. He usually has a hacking cough, a peculiar muffling of the voice, and enlarged tonsils. Because inhaled air is not filtered through the nose, germs enter the throat, the lungs. Tuberculosis is a frequent result.

Adenoidism is diffused throughout Italy, Premier Mussolini has found. Hence his instructions to eradicate it. School physicians and instructors, parents and guardians were admonished to search for adenoids in children. The cure is to cut out the overgrowths.