ADENOIDS, a term applied to an ex cessive growth of spongy tissue lying back of and above the soft palate. The growth may begin in early infancy, and if not removed may continue until the age of puberty. In the first stages the tissue is soft and apt to bleed easily, but as the victim becomes older it (vows fibrous and harder, some times causing an enlargement of the glands. Adenoid tissue is present in all normal children, the disease being merely abnormal growth of this tissue, due to various causes. Among these may be bad hygienic sur roundings, improper diet, poor ventilation, and often, in large part, it is due to heredity. By filling the air passages adenoid growths render breathing difficult and cause a perma nent expression of the features not unlike that of the feeble-minded. Sometimes the growth of the facial bones may be affected, the teeth being irregular, the upper jaw may become narrowed and the hard, palate unduly arched.
The mentality of the sufferer is also affected, the mind being sluggish and incapable of con centration. This condition is termed apro sexia. Afl the evils due to habitual mouth breathing are also likely to result, such as bronchitis, weak lungs and asthma. Digestive disorder and catarrh of the stomach or of the intestines may also result from the constant swallowing of mucus.
Treatment is usually by means of surgical operation, which should be resorted to as soon as any of the above symptoms appear. The operation is without danger, except to those prone to excessive bleeding, on whom no oper ation should be attempted. Timely removal invariably causes a marked improvement in the child's mentality and physical condition. If, however, treatment is delayed until bone development has set in, absolute cure may be impossible, mouth-breathing having become a confirmed habit.