There is provided an improvement to a device for slidably mounting a tube against an orifice of a medical patient, the device including a polygonal section of sponge foam, a bore through this foam and a slot for enabling the polygonal section of foam to be slid over and onto a tube. The improvement comprises a rigid backing plate that fixedly attaches to the sponge foam in an area apart from, and preferably opposite, the surface of the sponge foam section in contact with the patient's orifice. This backing plate has a bore and slot corresponding to those in the sponge foam section. With this improvement, such mounting devices may be placed in more permanent traction against the patient's nose, mouth or other orifice. A further improvement includes a gauge for varying the amount of substantially permanent traction placed on a medical tube with this device. There is also disclosed a method for supplying variable amounts of substantially permanent traction to a medical tube with the holder of this invention.