Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-01-03
TnE CARE OF the VOICE.


TUE CARE Of TINE VOICE.
DIR. John n. Mackenzie lectured al
Peabody Institute last night on " The
Mechanism and Care OF the Voice"
DIR. Mackenzie hrst explained the
anatomy and physiology OF the struct.
ures In the production and modification
Of vocal sounds, the conditions of prop
er vocalization and the mechanisn 81
the different registers, as revealed by
the laryngoscope. Special stress vas
laid upon the physiological relations of
lhe air-current 10 respiration. apon the
Importance of the abdominal method
Of breathing. upon the evils resulting
FROM " cavioulas" and :" LATERAL respir-
alton, and upon the common causes OF
vocal fatigue from antagonisrn of the
respiratory forces, abuse Of intensity,
faulty methods of cultivation, etc. ALI
good teachers compel q preliminary
training in vocal and respiratory gym
nastics. The old Italian school re-
quired two years of such exercises before
allowing pupils to sing. Well trained
vocalists rarely suffer from disease Of
the vosal organs, and the systematic
use of the latter is valuable agent
IN the prevention Of serious pulmonary
complaints. Congestion and intlamma
ton Of the larynx, loss of contrastile
power IN its muscles, granular pharyu-
gifts and host of other affections Of
the throat are often the ooalmon heri-
tags Of pernicious method of breath
ing. Unnatural forcing Of the voice,
Iiumodefate laughter, the habit of whis-
pering INDUCED in 50 often by ulembsrs
Of church ehoirs, produce fatigue and
arrangement Of the vocal organs from
abuse OF the intensity Of the voice. A
singer should never hum, and much To
s,nance Is lost by singing through the
teeth. Voice training should be begun,
Il possible, in youth, for as the inii-
vldual advances 10 life the difficulties
of VOCAL education materially incee4se
In singing and public speaking a slight
artificial congestion of the vocal organs
OCCUR, which subsidies with the cessation
of the exercise. IL sufficient rest be
therefore not allowed after su5h exer
else, or II chs laryux be exposed to
sudden change Of Temperature. this
congestion becomes permanent. The
artists Of the dramatic aud lyric stage
should not themselves be stirred by
the passions u is their duty to portray.
TIE nose was cext considered a. an
organ of respiration and voice forma
ton, and Rs the channel through which
atmospheric air enters the organ of
hearing. Natural respiration takes
place through the nasal cavities. in
which the air Is warmed. moistened and
freed OF Impurities. In mouth breath
inR the cold, dry and vitiated atmos
phsrs comes IN contact With the deli.
cate lining Isembraae of the resp "a
tory tract, and produces, sooner or later,
inflammation. The majority Of cases
of disease of the vocal organs and ear
arises from interferenees with the func.
ticps of the nasal cavities and nasal
throat. Catarrhal Inflammation of
these regions develops insidiou dy, and
10 fraught with disastrous consciousness
to the organs OF tue voice, respiratioa
and hearing. The injurious effects of
nasal obstruction and mouth breathing
we're formerly knovn only to experts,
who sold the knowledge OF thu hygiene
fact 10 professional singers for large
SONS Of money, and under a plsdge of
secrecy, and q distinguished scientist
claims that could he leave q psrpRtual
IN the words. Keep yous mouth SHUT"
The Importance Of attention TO the
skin as preventive against disease Of
the vocal organs. cannot be oseresti-
mated. and we may possibly indulge the
fancy that the inyulnssability OF Achilles
after immersion In the Styx 10 warn
ina myth 20 impress upon mankind the
prophylactie virtues Of cold water.
Compression Of the chest and neck ion
pede the proper mechanism Of the
throat.
"The ambitious collar Of the dude.
which arises from the surface OF the
collar bone TO be inserted nader ths
lobule Of the ear. and whose apparent
use 10 to suspend ell motion about the
neck," vas instsnosd ~ illustrative Of
the latter mode Of compression. Tue
use OF cosmetics containing injurious
metallic oxides aud the dyes employed
10 color certain articles Of wearing ap.
parel sometimes exert preiadieiai in
haenoe on the maoous iiaing Of the
respiratory apparatus, the additional
ornamental advantage derived frsm the
Substitution Of the plain white stocking
Of our ancestors Of the varisested hose
Of TODAY, is often insufficient 10 con
pensats for the evils which result from
the exchange.
The idsa that prevails in certain
quarters thai removal OF large tonsils
sas 40 evil effeos upoh the resonance Of
the votes was declared 20 be stupid
popular fAllacy, diAmetFically opposed
10 reason and ne facts in the case foF
IL has hsea demonstrated THAI the ops-
ration nos only renders the voice cieAr-
er and more soaoroos. bas may even
allow extension OF its compass several
notes higher. II bad even been main.
tanned that che tonsils do not exist in
the normal throst-shas they are simply
pathological exnressences-Anda recent
writer bad said that were he. like Frank
enstetn. 20 attempts the construction Of
q nan. be voald leave the tonsils ens.
Patti, LnSca and other great singers
havs not cniy submitted TO the opera
on. but 0we the full power Of thsir
vesces 10 its perfornsnce.-R aisImors