The record-union., 1897-08-07
out later life. as does the wiser singe
of other lands

The delicate vocal organ of singer
is subject to numerous troubles that she
should be made aware Of but in re-
| gard to which she knows little or moth
ing. For instance, using the voice reck-
lessly when rest should be had often de-
velops what are called nodes" on the
vocal chords. AT the convention of the
music teachers of the United States,
recently held in New York, most val
liable and interesting paper on Causes
of Vocal Catastrophe" by an eminent
throat specialist, DR.. Frank E. Miller
of New York, was read before the con-
vention, from which some brief ex-
tracts may be made as of value to young
singers. DR.. Miller, who is an accom-
plished vocalist. as we'll as throat spe-
cialist, and therefore speaks from
double experience says in speaking of
the nodes that they constitute one of
the most familiar forms of vocal catas-
| trophe.
| This is only one of the numerous dam
gers to which singers are exposed and
yet not one young woman in a hundred
ever heard the word node" But they
are subject to suffer from it at any mo-
ment. Just to scare them a little, sup
pose we quote something Of what DR..
Miller said; then perhaps they will be
more anxious to learn a little bit about
the anatomy of the throat, as we'll as
voice production.
I'm its simplest form the node" says
he, lis a superficial oedema, manifesting
itself on the edge of the vocal chord,
dependent entirely upon causation. For
| instance, the cause might be simply a
I-e. o. M S-t, 70
| the matter, perhaps, the node is an
| oedema, swelling from effusion of
water fluid in the cellular tissue beneath
the skin or mucous membrane. If ag-
gravated by continued use of the voice
/ it may develop and become exceedingly
dangerous by extending inward to the
real tissue of the chord itself. The MEM
| brane is thickened by the watery Sc
cretion, and much the same thing hap
pens that has occurred to many of you
in the case of a pinching bruise or a
blistering burn.
Now, while the node has been the
cause of some aggravated cases of vocal
| catastrophe, from the confines of the
Metropolitan Opera-house to the more
modest abiding place of opera bouffe,
among people who aim to sing, yet
reasonable amount of precaution will
tend to largely minimize the chances of
an attack. Singing in a room where
there is smoking is a prolific source of
modal formations. Breathing a dust
laden atmosphere, continued effort to
carry on conversation on the cars or
amid the noises of street traffic are
| fruit agencies of vocal catastrophe If
the singer foolishly insists upon using
the voice when it should have rest the
node will extend in to the chord It's
sues, and then we have a most unfor-
tunate condition. The chord loses it's
elasticity. 1t refuses to respond. 1t
will neither act nor will it consent to
be acted upon. 1t is in a state of col
lapse, and the voice for singing pur-
poses has gone, never to return.
A CASE IN POINT.
"A singer came to me with node on
the left chord of three months stand
ing. She had been singing with her
teacher in the regular course of her les
sons at an unfortunate time, and when,
too, she was vocally weak. The node
could be plainly seen on the left chord
l cocoainized the chord, and immedi-
ately applied pure alum in solution to
L
treatment was continued for two weeks,
without any perceptible change for the
better. Then L ordered the patient to
remain quietly in a closed room; she
was to see no one; she was not to talk
at all; she was not to laugh. AS
harassing as was the experience, she
faithfully observed the directions, and
on the fourth day every vestige of red
ness had disappeared. Only a slight
elevation remained on the chord where
the node had been. The treatment
was continued three days longer At
the expiration of the period no trace
Of the node could be seen. When she
sang, however, the telltale mucus in
dicated its former location. That was
ALL This young woman is now sing
ing, and no one would ever suspect
that node had once affected her voice.
Such experience as this will serve to
indicate to you why l counsel against
use of the voice under diseased condi-
tions.
Professional ethics and professional
courtesy as well dictate that l should
be chary of fault finding within the cir
Gle of my own brotherhood; but exper-
singers who may be travelling to have
care of doctos5 by the way. Sensi-
BILE general practitioners are not want
ing. Nowadays, however there is a
growing fever in many quarters to ex-
pertinent with throat spraying devices
that are generally more harmful than
beneficial AS general proposition all
throat spraying is dangerous"
DR.. Miller also drew attention to the
disasters resulting from persistent
singing when one has cold or is 9TH
erwise in bad vocal condition, the vocal
muscles frequently being attacked, as
result, by paralysis. After describ-
ing the early symptoms, he says: III
the voice is continued in use the af-
fection becomes permanent, and once
more we witness a case of irremediable
vocal collapse. The remedy is rest,
and that, too, before the disease has
passed a recoverable ground
IF the singer experiences pain on
either side of the thyroid cartilage, or
on either side of the Adams apple,
then let him by all means have care,
for those are the symptoms of this Pc
culiarly meacing form of paralysis
DR.. Miller cites, among others, this
case: Il shall never forget young
girl of bright promise as a singer who
was suddenly attacked with diphtheria
She was in a fair way to complete re-
storation, when, contrary to admoni-
ton, for she was impetuous and want
ed her own way, she tried to sing her
church service. On Monday after her
experience she came to me in a speech
less condition. This she attributed to