Obstructed Breathing and Memory
- Author:
Felix Arnold, Ph.D.,
Principal Public School No. 30, New York City.
Obstructed breathing may be considered in part as a form of distraction similar to irritating woolen clothing, uncomfortable seat, tiresome teaching, and other untoward conditions in the classroom. In part it operates as a devitalizing influence through diminution of the supply of oxygen. It may be due to adenoid growths. More commonly it is due to lack of ordinary cleanliness. Obstructed breathing is easily produced by plugging one of the nostrils. In my tests I used two forms of obstruction. One was a plug (P) made of antiseptic cotton gauze, rolled to the thickness of a finger, and about two inches in length. This plug was pushed up the right nostril of the subject. The second form of obstruction consisted of a piece of cardboard two inches long, and about half an inch wide. This was bent lengthwise at right angles and inserted in the right nostril of the subject. This hollow plug (PI) acted as a distraction without interfering with the breathing. The solid plug acted in both ways, as a distraction, and as an obstruction to breathing. The subjects were school boys taken from grades 5B through 8A. They entered willingly into the spirit of the thing. They tried to get as good results as possible and seemed pleased to co-operate. The pupils were tested between 2:30 and 3 p. m. from April 11 to June 2, 1910. In designating the pupils by letters of the alphabet, I do not intend to indicate any order of merit. The letters are chosen merely for the sake of convenience. Where two pupils are brothers, I add a number, as in the case of El and E2. The tests consisted in the memorizing of discrete letters arranged in rows of four. The letters were placed in squares measuring four inches, somewhat as follows: M H X V R W N D G M R X W T N II N (234)
These are samples of the twenty letter series, and twenty-four letter series respectively. The letters were exposed for five minutes at first, and later in succeeding tests the time was shortened to three minutes. In the first eight series of tests five minutes of study was allowed, followed by five oral repetitions in chorus. In the succeeding tests, only three minutes’ study was allowed without any oral repetitions. Before exposing the letters, I told the children that they were to remember as many of the letters as possible, in the order given. The cardboard with the letters upon it was then exposed. At the end of the given time the cardboard was covered, and the pupils told to write. No attempt was made by me to instruct the children how to study. Each pupil studied the letters in his own way. In correcting the results, I counted as an error any letter out of place, or not in the series. Only those letters were counted as correct which corresponded both in identity and in position to the letters exposed in the test. The results are indicated in the following tables. Each table is headed by a title sufficiently descriptive to explain the conditions under which the tests were given. The abbreviations F, P, and H refer to the condition of the nostrils, whether free from all obstruction, plugged with a solid cotton plug (right nostril), or filled with a hollow cardboard (right nostril).
Of the pupils who were not noticeably affected by the obstruction it is to be noted that most of them obtained a result of twenty correct both when breathing was free, and when it was obstructed. This would seem to indicate that they were not extended by the tests. If the obstruction affected them to the extent to which the pupils were not extended they would still show no decrease in the results. A further effect to be considered is that of practice. Each succeeding test should be easier for the pupils up to the level of highest efficiency. In the second series of tests, therefore, I gave twenty-four letters instead of twenty; the other conditions remained the same. The effects of practice were compensated by the alternation of free breathing with obstructed breathing. The results were as given in the table on p. 237.
In the cases which showed the least effect of the obstruction, subjects C through 0, there is a decided halt in practice effect, practically no progress being recorded. The last fourteen cases, G through h, show a decided drop in the results, the loss varying from 10 to over 20 per cent. In terms of actual classroom work, in lessons of drill, the pupil might as well be out of the room as far as any progress is concerned. In lessons of development, a 10 or 20 per cent loss is sufficient to result either in the necessity of repeating the lesson, or in the possibility of non-promotion of pupils affected by obstructed
SERIES 1. Test: Memorizing of 20 letters arranged in rows of 4. Five minutes visual study, followed by 5 oral repetitions. Time: First test, April 11, 1910, at 2:43 p. m., no obstruction (F). Second test, April 12, 1910, 2:50 p. m., right nostril obstructed with cotton plug (P). Pupil ! Grade A B C D E F G H El J E2 I K L M W N II a HI O 7B 7A 7B 7B 8A 7B 7B CA 8A 7B 5B 5B 5B 5B 8A 7B 6B c 7B R 7B f 5B 5 B 7B 7B 7B S 6A P 7A d 7A b 7A V 7A Q 7B gj 6A X 5B T 5B Y 5B e 7A Z 7B No. Correct No. Correct (F) Apr. 11 (P) Apr. 12 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 15 17 13 16 2 5 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 18 18 18 18 17 16 15 6 Average of first 14 subjects (F) 16.28 Average of last 22 subjects. (F) 18.41 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 15 16 9 11 Total average 36 pupils (F) 17.58 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 14 14 14 14 7 4 12 14 10 L<> [4 12 14 11 5 (P) 18.14 (P) 12.50 (P) 14.69 SERIES 2. Test: Memorizing of 24 letters arranged in rows of 4. Five minutes study visually, followed by 5 oral repetitions, in chorus. Time: Between 2:30 and 3 p. m., April 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20, 1910. Pupil Grade c D F M R HI El O V W J K (1 N P E e Ci B H S I b Y X T E2 c L U h 7B 7B 7B 8A 7B 7B 8A 7B 7A 7B 7B SB 7 A 24 21 24 22 12 10 14 14 16 6B : 18 7 A 13 7B 4 7 A I 13 “B 23 7 A OA 6A 5B 7A 5B 5B 5B 5B 7B 5B 5B GA 21 24 24 24 12 11 10 15 8 9 18 3 22 24 24 24 22 18 17 14 24 20 10 12 A j 7B 1 24 : 23 10 11 8A ! 10 I 18 Q 7B 14 0 Z 22 22 23 18 14 14 23 8 11 13 21 0 5 5 F1 24 24 24 22 24 18 20 20 20 12 24 24 24 23 16 23 24 22 24 24 18 8 24 pi 24 24 24 24 24 16 23 22 16 24 24 23 13 6 24 24 24 , 24 16 18 23 21 6 j 17 4 6 12 22 24 22 22 24 22 20 22 23 22 13 17 15 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 4 4 24 24 23 10 17 18 12 24 24 24 24 23 24 24 24 24 20 24 16 18 12 P2 24 24 22 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 22 13 6 Not counted in the averages 24 24 24 22 21 23 16 23 16 17 20 16 23 12 10 20 18 17 13 12 4 Averages F’ P1 F2 p2 Average 8 pupils C-0.. Average 7 pupils A-e… Average 14 pupils G-h .. 17.62 15. 16. 17.62 11.85 14.85 22. 15.57 20.35 22.62 18.85 18.21 24. 19.57 21.82 24. 22. 16.43 Total average 29 pupils 16.20 14.89 19.65 19.58 21.86 19.86
breathing, especially in the case of pupils varying close to the median. Continued loss in this connection would inevitably drag the pupil to the group of the backward and the inefficient. It is significant to note in this connection, for purposes of comparison, that pupils who are absent 20 per cent of the term may be counted practically as non-promotions.
I now gave a series of five tests in which the conditions were somewhat changed. Only three minutes were allowed for visual study, without oral repetition in chorus, at the end of which time the pupils wrote what they remembered. In the fourth test, the subjects had a hollow obstruction inserted in the right nostril. As explained in the beginning, this obstruction consisted of a piece of cardboard, two inches long, half an inch wide, and bent at right angles. In the table, this is indicated by H. The five tests were made April 21, 25, May 3, 4, and 5. It is to be noted that the last three followed without a day between, while the first two had several days between. The results were as shown in the table on p. 000. The hollow obstruction (H), did not have the effect that the solid plug did (P), as is shown by the number correct obtained by the fifteen subjects, HI through E2. The solid plug continued to interfere with the results as in the previous tests, this standing out in the results obtained by the sixteen subjects, Q through L and G through E2. It is to be noted that those subjects who were absent in any test are not counted in the averages given. The solid plug interfered to the extent of from 10 to over 25 per cent in over half of the subjects, as in the previous tests. The interference, moreover, was due chiefly to the obstruction in the breathing of the subjects, and not to the irritation or distraction of the plug in the nostril. In fact, the irritation due to a hard bent cardboard is greater than that due to a soft cotton plug. In addition, the tests in which the solid plug (P) was used came at the end, giving the subjects the benefit of whatever practice effects there were.
Since the pupils obtained close to twenty correct out of twentyfour, I changed the matter to be memorized. The following series of letters and figures were given: w N C R O II X G 21 M 35 48 H 56 N 13 R 27 K 28 15 48 36 19 24 B
These are only samples of the tests. Different figures, letters and arrangements were used each time a test was given. As in the previous tests, the figures and letters were placed in squares measuring four inches, and were a little over two inches in height. The matter was exposed for three minutes, studied visually, covered, and the pupils then wrote what they remembered. As in the previous experiments, only those figures and letters were counted correct which were indentical in position with those on the charts. In the results given in the following tables, F = free from obstruction, H = hollow plug, and P = solid plug, the plugs being inserted in the right nostrils of the subjects.
Series 4 proved easy for the pupils, as shown by the large number who got a total of twenty out of twenty correct. Any effects due to the plug in the right nostril would not be evident. Of the pupils affected by the plug, the average shows a loss of over 10 per cent with the solid plug (P), but practically no loss with the hollow obstruction (H). The hollow obstruction, if active at all, will act psychologically, as a distraction, and can be compensated by a high state of attention. Subjects keyed up and anxious to obtain as high an average as possible would not be greatly affected by the distraction which might result from a hollow plug. A solid plug, however, acts physiologically by interfering with the supply of oxygen breathed in. No degree of attention would be sufficient to compensate this loss, especially where the subjects are extended by the tests. Series 5 shows similar results. More difficult than series 4, the tests extended a greater number of pupils, and more were affected by the solid plug. The loss, too, was greater, being over 14 per cent. The hollow obstruction acted to a less degree, the loss being 10 per cent. In this case, we might consider that the 14 per cent loss due to the solid plug (P) equals 10 per cent distraction plus 4 per cent obstructed breathing. It is to be noted, however, that in every series of tests, the solid plug (P) resulted in a loss of from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, whether the hollow obstruction (H) affected the pupils or not. With an entirely new set of pupils, I tried two series of tests with free breathing (F), with obstructed breathing (solid plug, P), and with interference with a hollow plug (H). The subjects were taken from grades 3A through 5A. A set of twenty-four letters arranged in rows of four was presented to the children who studied them visually for three minutes. The letters were then covered and the pupils allowed to write. The tests were given after 11 a. m. Two things are here to be noted: (1) the immaturity and inexperience of the subjects; and (2) the relative difficulty of the tests given. The results of the first three tests are as shown in series 6,
SERIES 3. Test: Memorizing of 24 letters arranged in rows of 4. Three minutes visual study allowed. Time: Between 2:30 and 3 p. m., April 21, 25, May 3, 4, and 5, 1910. Pupil Grade Fi Pi F M P O C E N A D X Q T R H I L 7B 8A 7A 7B 7B 8A GB 7B 7B 5B 7B 5B 7B 6A 5B 5B 20 24 j 24 22 1 24 J 23 22 [22 ‘ 22 16 21 ! 22 24 24 23 22 17 24 10 20 15 18 21 20 16 14 1:7 21 20 16 11 21 13 10 3 24 21 17 23 24 19 24 22 22 21 22 18 10 11 23 21 20 21 16 17 24 24 23 22 23 ? 24 22 21 17 22 17 24 23 24 22 21 18 13 HI f 8 G b Z V K U w e h d El E2 7B 5B 6A 7B 7 A 7B 7A 5B 5B 7B 7 A 6A 7A 8A 5B 14 ! 24 9 19 22 23 24 20 24 oo 23 12 15 22 23 22 20 15 9 20 14 23 19 13 13 21 13 21 11 21 10 12 i 8 6 i 4 24 17 18 IS 24 17 21 21 21 22 22 22 20 21 i 18 21 19 20 j 16 22 j 15 20 ! 18 15 24 16 21 15 16 6 11 3 i | 20 i 21 18 22 ; 19 18 Averages of com- [ jsj-0 plete cases. F through XI HI through S / j Q through L 1 G through E2 / Total 25 17.77 | 22.00 17.12 11.94 Averages of complete cases. F through^L… No. 14 i 20.43 20.71 17.36 I 15.56 HI through E2 15 19.40 19.60 Total 29 I 19.89 20.14 21.7S 17.33 19.48
SERIES 4. Test: Memorizing 20 figures and letters arranged alternately in rows of 4. Three minutes visual study allowed. Time: Between 2:30 and 3 p. m., May 17, 18, and 19, 1910. I’upil A F X S HI I P B W El E2 b G E J II H Z K g M D O N U T V e Grade 7B 7B 5B 6A 7B 5B 7A 7A 7B 8A 5B 7 A 7B 8A 7B 7B GA 7B Y I 5B 6A d ‘ 7A 8A 7B 7B 6B 5B 5B 7A 7 A Average A-d M-e No. 22 Total… | 30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 18 17 20 20 20 20 20 19 5B i 19 13 II 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 13 4 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 18 19 20 20 20 15 15 12 20 : 20 20 ! 20 20 | 20 20 J 20 20 20 20 j 20 20 20 17.86 18.87 18.13 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 9 2 19 19 19 18 19 13 15 10 18.66 | 18.18 IS.25 | 16.50 18.53 18.03
SERIES 5. Test: Memorizing 24 figures and letters arranged alternately in rows of 4. Three minutes visual study allowed. Time: Between 2:30 and 3 p. m.. May 31, June 1, and 2, 1910. Pupil F S Iv A D G 0 I M T HI Z h L b g cl El J X R B II P C E Q Y V Average. F-d El-V Total. . Grade 7B 6A 5B 7B 7B 7B 7B 5B 8A 5B 7B 7B 6A 5B 7A 6A 7 A 8A 7B 5B 7B 7A 6A 7A 7B 8A 7B 5B 7 A No. 17 12 29 24 24 23 17 18 24 11 17 16 16 13 15 9 12 12 1 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 22 21 20 21 12 H 24 24 22 22 14 20 24 24 23 16 22 14 10 12 21 10 24 24 22 22 20 20 20 16 22 20 15 14.94 21.83 17.79 18.06 19.75 18.62 24 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 23 22 20 19 14 13 16 13 10 22 21 22 23 20 20 16 19 20 19 11 12 j 10 20.00 18.58 19.41
SERIES G. Test: Memorizing 24 letters arranged in rows of 4. Three minutes visual study allowed. Time: After 11 a. m., May 31, June 1, and 2, 1910. Pupil ; Grade 4B 5A 5A 8 | 5A 9 | 5A 10 ‘ 5 A 11 1 5A 12 | 4A 13 4A 14 [ 3A 24 25 Average 1-14 15-25 Total. 15 ! 4B 1G I 4B 17 ; 4B 18 | 4A 19 J 4B 20 I 4B 21 j 4A 22 ! 3A 23 ! 4A 4A 4A 21 15 11 13 9 9 10 13 7 6 7 No. 14 11 25 6.01 11.00 8.24 4B I 15 11 4 A 11 7 4A j 4 j 9 4B ! 10 8 22 10 4 1 7 8 10 10 1 4 0 7.93 7.00 7.52 15 16 15 14 13 16 14 14 11 10 7 7 8 4 6 6 9 10 2 6 8 6 4 1 0 11.71 5.27
With this new set of subjects the plug interfered to the extent of over 40 per cent in eleven out of the twenty-five cases. The hollow obstruction resulted in a loss of over 35 per cent in the number correct. Since the work was new to the pupils, a decided practice effect should have been observed, had there been no hollow obstruction. The interference in the results due to the hollow obstruction was practically as great as that due to the solid plug. It would seem that the immaturity of the pupils rendered them more susceptible to the distraction of the hollow plug, and less able to concentrate their attention as did the older boys. In the following series, therefore, I gave last the tests in which the hollow plug was inserted in the right nostril, and second the tests in which the solid plug was used. As the following results show, the hollow obstruction still affected the pupils to about the same relative degree:
SEKIES 7. Test: Memorizing 24 figures and letters, arranged alternately in rows of 4. Three minutes visual study allowed. Time: After 11a. m., June 7, 8, and 9, 1910. Pupil Grade 26 ; 5A 5 1 7 8 5A 12 12 15 413 9 16 27 5A 7 j 11 17 , 4B i 6 ! 12 16 4B j 6 I 7 10 5A | 4 | 9 28 4 A 5 3 14 3A 1 I 0 21 4A 4 7 19 4B 4 4 1 4B 11 6 6 2 11 3 [5 7 13 [9 29 18 25 23 5A i 12 ; 13 4A | 9 ! 9 f>A 11 7 4A 8 I 10 4B 8 ! 7 5A 12 12 4 A 9 8 5A j 5 5 3A 4 4 4A 8 1 4A 3 i 8 4A j 8 ! 1 Average 26-19 1-23 Total.. No. 11 13 24 5.72 8.54 7.25 8. 7. 7.87 16 13 13 10 8 6 7 8 3 5 5 11 8 7 7 7 6 6 3 3 3 6 2 9 H 8.54 5.46 6.87
COMPLETE TOTALS FOR SERIES 1 THROUGH 5. Pupil F M A O D R HI El Q Iv J Z c f g G S H I P T E b C X V B N U W Y E2 L h e (1 a Grade] 7B 8A 7B 8A 7B 5B 7B 7B 7B 5B 6A 7B GA 6A 5B 7A 5B 8A 7A 7B 5B 7A 7A 6B 5B 7B 5B 5B 5B 6A 7A 7A 7B No. of Tests 16 7B | 14 7B ! 16 16 14 14 14 10 16 8 6 6 16 16 16 16 16 16 Free 180 16 169 104 71 49 14 | 143 16 ! 139 Total F-g, 15 subjects ! 1801 Total G-a, 22 subjects 2674 Grand total, 37 subjects. ! 4475 Plug 182 178 7B jj 14 152 159 7B 16 147 169 147 156 167 ! 167 143 , 158 136 j 141 115 j 115 i97 | 107 97 ! 103 107 72 50 27 31 175 166 154 181 181 169 153 | 142 159 141 151 ! 130 142 134 135 129 | 125 133 ! 120 12 | 138 14 133 | 116 14 12 12 123 ! 121 14 122 84 12 113 i 111 12 109 101 12 105 100 14 80 : 77 12 83 51 8 66 47 14 44 41 2 20 14 1895 2427 4322
In the seventh series of tests, the hollow obstruction, which would receive whatever practice effects there were, resulted in a loss of over 35 per cent in thirteen out of the twenty-four cases. The solid plug, used in the second set of tests, resulted in a loss of over 15 per cent in the total number correct. It seems safe to assume from these two series of tests, series 6 and 7, that with younger children, and where the attention is weak, the loss due to distraction is as great or greater than the loss due to interference with the supply of fresh air when the nostril is clogged up. This loss will vary between 15 per cent and 35 per cent. When the subject matter is relatively difficult, the loss may be as high as 40 or 50 per cent. In any case, the loss due to obstructed breathing will run from 10 to 20 per cent. To see the total effect of the solid plug on the results obtained in all the tests in series 1 through series 5, I have arranged the totals in the table on page 245, which gives (1) the number of tests in which the pupils participated, (2) the number correct obtained when the breathing was free, and (3) the number correct obtained when the breathing was obstructed by a solid plug.
The total of all the cases in the preceding table shows that of the 22 subjects affected, the loss is almost 10 per cent. Moreover, if we assume that the practice effect was also hindered, this loss is in reality between 20 per cent and 30 per cent. In summary, it seems fair to assume the following conclusions:
(1) In all cases of obstructed breathing from whatever source, there will be a loss in the results of memorising verbal matter of from 10 to 30 per cent; (2) There will be no practice effects; (3) Where the work is new and difficult, the loss will run as high as 50 per cent; (4) With more mature pupils, in fifth through eighth school years, the loss is due to physiological causes; (5) With less mature pupils, in third and fourth school years, the loss is due as much to distraction as to interference with breathing; (6) In terms of classroom practice, obstructed breathing prevents any progress through drill, and hinders assimilation of new matter sufficiently to cause non-promotion of the pupil concerned. The above conclusions seem conservative in view of the simplicity of many of the tests given. It is to be remembered that a great deal of the school work requires additional mental effort in the way of organization and thought. The importance of cleanliness, removal of adenoids, etc., need not be dwelt upon.
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