The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-12-21
HIS ARTIFICIAL VOICE.
With Bellows ara Valves q Mute Is En-.
abled 60 Speak to an Audience.

abied 60 Speak to an Audience.
At one of the recent sessions OF the |
French academy of medicine DIR. Per-
Ter. surgeon of the Lariboisere hos.
pital, presented for the examination
of his colleagues q mute who ex-
pressed all his ideas by speech, thai
is to say by modulated sounds. The
history of this man is most curious
and interesting from scientific
point OF view.
He was habitually enjoying robust
health when he was stricken with an
incurable affection of the larynx. the
first symptoms of which were OBJ.
served in January, 1891. Tired OF
the treatment that he had to under
so for two years, he expressed a de-
sire to be operated upon as radically
as possible.
Fortified with such authorization
DR.. Perier proceeded on the 18th of
June last to operate upon him for
the total extirpation of the larynx.
Everyone knows that tho region of
the larynx contains tho very organ
of the voice, and that the vocal APP
paratus of man, if it is indlsputably
the most delicate, is the most perfect
OF that of the higher beings Its
destruction through disease or acci-
dent is consequently followed by
aphony. The operation once tor
minated according to the rules of
art, the skillful surgeon formed IN
the anterior wall of the neck, a small
orifice which he loft open. This
opening, consequently communicate
ing with both the exterior and the
pharynx, was reserved for expert
ments upon the re establishment OF
the voice by means OF an artificial
larynx. Convalescence proceeded
quickly, and on the 28th of June the
health OF the patient was sufficiently
re-established to permit of such OK
periments.
In concert with Mr. Aubry, manu-
facturer of surgical instruments, DR..
'Perier directed these tentative'
toward the adaptation of an art ficia
larynx, actuated by blowing device
and not by the air issuing from thu
trachea. The apparatus. relativel,
simple, that they decided to adopt
consists of metallic reed inclosei
in tube, and the plates of which
arranged in contrary directions, oh
literate half of the light at each OK
tremity.
This tube terminates above in
spherical surface, capable of bein,
applied Theoretically to the orifce il
the front OF the neck. Below it l.
connected with two elastic reser
, voirs, coupled aud mounted upon
metallic S-shaped armature, permit
ting of one communicating with tn
other, in order to obtain continuou
current Of air of mean intensity
|, One OF the reservoirs is put in CON
! munication with blowing devic
, formed of bulb similar to those tha
, actuate vaporizers. Under the effec
J of the current Of air, the metalli
reed enters into vibration and emit
constant note OF uniform tonalit,
, which is approximately that of til
ordinary diapason. The sound tn,
= produced Is lod, SO to speak, I'M
! the buccal cavity.
| 1t remains, then, i'll order to col
vert it into true spoken language
only to make it undergo, through IL
intermedium of the tongue, lips ar
teeth, as in ordinary phonation, IL
l series of modulations that produ,
+ the nuances and the difference in Il
pronunciation OF words. The
nuances, as incredible as the fa
p may seem at first sight, are, it a
s pears, obtained quite easily. A
IL education of few days suffices
The individual who was the obie,
of the communication made to Il
Paris academy of medicine was abb
% amid the plaudits of the whole a
o semblage, after receiving his oper
tor with emotion, to retrace the h
N tory and detailed phases OF his pal
= full disease with voice that was d
tinct, although OF low and monot
nous tone.