The sun., 1881-04-24
sINGEIs' SORE THROATs.
a Physiciau'. Interesting Experiences with
Mistaken Diseases.

In a company the other evening prom
inent physician who makes diseases of the
throat and lungs a specially was asked whether
1t was true that bronchial troubles had been
unusually prevalent among singers and those
who live by tho exercise OF the vocal organs
during the past w!ntor
Il have treated twcnty per cent. more cases
OF real thront disease than usual" said tho
Doctor. but the number OF applicants for relief
who had no throat trouble whatever was fully
third more than during the previous season.
and they were more persistent in the idea that
they had actual hroat affections than / had ever
known them to be-"
You surely do not mean that artists are
often troubled with purely imaginary sore
throats. md to such an extent as to practically
incapacitate them from singing ?"
Il mean that singers. actors. and public
speakers frequently apply to mo to be treated
for purely fancful throat affections which they
believe are injurinE or have destroyed the voice,
and that they persist in this belief though re-
peatedly assured that the vocal organs are per-
fectly healthy. But their real trouble is often
disagreeabie one. and one that sometimes in
capactates them from those pursuits by which
they gain their bread. The fact is that few OF
them understand that accurate hearing is us
| important to n singer or speaker Ms correct
OF their ears and even OF their eeth, Of their
throats-that is II they wish to sing speak well.
Unfortunately. too. some OF the practitioners
who attend these people do not correctly locate
| the seat OF trouble. and often treat them for
obscure throat diseases or nervous affec-
| tions instead Of sending them to an expert
aurist The affection Is known as autophony.
| and may be described as the internal hearing OF
ones own voice; person suffering from au-
| m aptt do rnip "A htb la yppa
organs through his own head. so to speak. The
| sounds do not strike the ear drum from the out
| side, and consequently cannot be brought into
harmony with notes which others hear only in
| that way. Such notes must of course. be incor-
the mouth and ears. and arc thus false both in
| tmbre and pitch. In some cases the trouble
gives rise to an echo which is extremely trouble
| some and nterferes with accurate speaking or
| singing. Thi disability is often distressing 10
all who use the voice either in public or private.
| and even to those who perform upon musical
instruments, though the suffering is most Sc
verey felt by singers. A cold in the head or an
unsound tooth will sometimes bring on the
trouble. and it may come and so quickly. In
| chronic cases, however. 1t advances slowly. and
ass hsarnr over
| person at any age"
You speak OF players on musical instru-
| ments: how may they be thus afflicted ?"
ANY instrument which is brought in con-
tact with any part OF the head will. in auto
tions. Cornetists and players of other wi nd in
struments find this trouble nearly asserous a
|
yerely. because the chin in their case is held
down closely upon one OF the most sonorous
and Intensely vibratory OF Instruments,
| "A gentleman who had derived much enjoy
ment from singing duets with his wife in their
circle OF friends happened to experience u
troublesome itching in the outer opening to the
ear. He WAS advised to inject a weak solution
of carbollc acid. He used. however, copeen-
trated mixture, and ut once experienced ex
cruciating pains. The acid hal penetrated the
drum head, and acute Inflammation OF the mid
die ear ensued. Ii was nearly a year before lie
| rApOyerpu During this time voice uDnparpl
to him fst-about half note too low in the
scale: strsngeiy enough he ipi!y 9eiSyed that
ear was cured. his ability to sing correctly re-
turned at once.
trouble and all efforts 70 convince i'm that his
vocal organs were healthy failed. He had suf-
fared from autophony for three years. and his
voice sounded SO disagreeably to him that he
could sustain conversation but for q lew
Gmsns S a. os tine hs I'm ss T ms a fs
an ordinary canvasser The autophony only
came on Mt times. but was characterized by the
most distressing roaring In the ears. Palpita-
ton Of tho heart and xreat mental depression
always accompanied the attacks. and he ac;
suicide on account of them. The real trouble
was catarrhal Inflammation. and treatment soon
"A lady-a very good singer-bscsme trou.
bled precisely as above and suffered Tor several
reetly. her voice became mixed ana UNPLEASANT
10 her. and often the notes seemed to die away
without uttcrance. She gradually lost all conh-
dence in her own power. but is now recover
ng by means OF treatment OF the ears alone.
singer in a church choir becams wholly
| unable TO sound the correct pitch. His voice
seemed unnatural to him. and,his notes were. as
he expressed it. complete tumble The case
was much aggravated by the ill-adviSed use OF
an irritating lotion. II was grave matter for
him. and the permanent injury to tho conduc-
the amrai inaapmatnn hud bnon 'u,e ran,1ys1 MGr
however, he could subdue the chief difficulty by
pulling the cartilaginous covering OF the ORR
tics 10 the ear downward and outward. He Is
now singing with his choir.
" 1t is not necessary" said the Doctor. ito
multiply this class OF cases they all resemble
each other in the important points. / might.
however. mention another as it has bearing
instruments. The case WAS that OF a music
, teacher who had for years suffered from ring
ing IN the ears and confusion OF sounds. He
} and his manners made mis- family as wretched
as himself. Thoughts OF putting an end to his
me that he had been under tho treatment o!
every prominent aurist in this country and in
, Germany. Before he had any serious ear trou-
BILE he played on several musical Instruments
but their sounds TO him became tormenting
Wild With hat SSI tho noises OIL ee in I'm. ,he
head convinc him that he had some serious
ailment. Frequently he referred to his throat
rs the seat oi disease; The patient was relieved
, BY ear treatment solely.
"A young girl learning to play the piano
was suffering from inflammation OF both mid,
die ears caused in part by dental irritation
All her efforts To, perform were unsatisfactory
, tion-throuRh the body-ars heard false. and
create an unpleasant and dIscordant Iange.
good recovery was made in two months when
she resumed her muaic.
;. An organ tuner. % years old, was suddenly
seized with an attack which rendered him use.
; less in his business. The beats above F Were
! undstinguishabe. He recovered.
The case of lady Is mentioned who
her head. and could he heard only by those be-
hind her. Another patient could rot resist the
ing her part others found the sounds linger
ing In their head. and during this time the
, pitch with which the notes were commcncec
had changed. Many curious consequences in
deed. arc given As showing how many OF the
voice troubles so often complained of us takinA
. rise in tho throat are caused by poor hearing
Those who depend upon the voice for a liv
ing should look as carefully after theil
ears aud teeth as their throat In all cases. too
, where they hav. difficulties that they do no
, understand they should consult an aurist es
pecialiy II they have been informed by then
| doctor that the air passages and vocal organ!
are in perfectly healthy condition."
, Snake AttRcks n Horse.