The Portland daily press., 1896-04-24
EvA's WRESTLING LARYNx.
The Remarkable Musical Equipment of a
Little Girl of New Haven.

(From the New Haven Evening Register)
One of the most remarkable instances
of peculiar anatomical development
known to medical science has just been
discovered in New Haven. The oircum-
stances are as yet unknown to the New
Haven physicians and surgeons, but
leading professor of music, to whose at
tention the case has been brought, pro-
nounces it the most remarkable he has
ever observed. The case, In the layman's
parlance, is known as that of whistllng
larynx, though the doctors have teoh-
nioal name for it. which is at once sound
ing and confusing to the average intelli-
gence. The individual in whom this
popularity has developed Is the little
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. W. H. Spear
OF 312 Columbus avenue. Eva is eight
years old, and, Notwithstanding her
youth, the case is remarkably we'll devel-
oped. In plain terms. this little lady Is
able to whistle without the use of her
lips, pharynx, palate, or cheeks, all of
which are brought into play by the ordi-
nary whistler.
Eva gave the first manifestation of her
laryngeal whistling ability when but two
years of age. Mr. Spear lived near
talking parrot which was very apt at
mimicking conversations between the
members of the family. On one occasion
he repeated remark made by Mrs. Spear
to Eva. Mrs. Spear was astonished to
hear the little one repeat the remark in
an exact Imitation of the manner in
which 1t was repeated by the bird. Her
establishment amounted to aInazement
No hon snI~o L.
OF the parrot apparently without the
slightest effort. 1t was apparent then
that the whistle was not produced by the
lips and tongue, as people ordinarily
whistle, but by the throat or some part
of it: Eva rapidly developed the ability
to whistle in this peculiar manner; until
she now whistles popular airs, or suoh
snatches of them as she hears, without
using her lips.
Prof. BOnney, the musical instructor,
was greatly interested upon learning of
Eva's whistling ability and at once mani
tested desire to investigate the oase He
listened.to an impromptu performance BY
the little girl, and requested another. He
pronounces the case worthy of the atten-
tion not only Of the medical profession,
but Of the musical instructors. At pres
emit Eva's whistling is confined to those
snRtches OF popular songs which she hears
her sisters play on the piano and to the
hymns which are common in the house,
hold. She. has no technical knowledge
of music, but whistles by ear.' When
she Is doing SO her lips are rs they would
be when at perfect rest. There is not the
slightest contraction Of them or any
movement. She whistles equally we'll
with her mouth tightly closed. Upon
attempting high note, however. she
unconsciously opens her mouth as sing
or would in attempting the same thing.
H~xvr loo T. 80 -t~,-~
ing in her whistling.
The impression conveyed to the listener
Is similar to that produced by one prof.
cicnt in mimioking the notes of a horn,
tho ugh of a much finer and clearer tone
The notes are clear and full, the low
ones with volume and tone seldom or
never heard In ordinary whistling, and
the high ones with a clearness and fulness
beyond anything produced by the most
artistic whistler of the ordinary kind.
While nothing of the fneness OF the ordi-
nary whistiing Is lost, the strength and
volume of the sound are far greater than
that ordinarily produced, and from this
fact would be vast improvement over
ordinary whistling when performed in
the presence of an audience.
Eva Is somewhat shy in exhibiting her
accomplishment before strangers, but
amuses herself and her parents and sisters
with it in the family, az any boy might,
by whistiing in the time worn fashion
common to all boys. No attempt has
ever been made to cultivate it, as Eva
has only begun to take lessons on the
plano, but even now there is a suggestion
Of m extraordinary ability to perform
difficult MARBLES when the little one at
tempts such melodies as "The Whistling
Coon: or the hooking Bird" She has
range of two and half octaves. She
has discovered that she can whistle even
when holding the tongue between the In
dex finger and the thumb.