The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
YAWNING IS GOOD EXERCISE
Recommended as a Cure for Certain
Affections Of the Throat.
Gives Relief in CatHrrh and Helps
Vised to YawR Daily.

A little book recently published in
Vienna is devoted 20 a method Of vocal
culture, and also health culture. that has
stood the test Of practical experience in
numerous cases. but is not rs well known
as it deserves to be. It is based upon
the vocal method of the concert singer,
Josephine Richter. the mother Of the
celebrated orchestra leader, Hans Rich
ter, and consists essentially Of peculiar
movements Of the jaws which ultimately
give the pupil an astonishing command
over the soft palate, besides strength
ening the muscles of the face. neck. and
chest, says the Scientific American.
Herr LAM. the author of the book,
quotes "a letter written 90 Nine Richter
by the late Prof. HeImhoItz. ia which
that famous physicist says: Il can
readily understand, from theoretical
considerations. that the habbiness of the
soft palate and the back of the mouth
must act as a damper upon the voice and
an obstacle TO precision of attack and
utterance Hence if the command Of
the palate, tongue. and larynN which YOU
possess can be acquired by Your method
of exercising the muscles of the face and
throat as your own example appears 10
prove, the fact is clearly of great im-
portance. Il is physiOlogicaliy probable
that such exercises would have that eff
feet"
That the exercises DO have that effect
is proved by am examination Of an aver
age unframed throat and the threat Of "a
singer trained by the new method In
the former the soft palate and its c0nicaI
extension. the uvula, hang limp and
construct the vocal passage. which Is fur
Their narrowed by the prominent tonsiI
at each side I'm "a mouth SO encountered.
as in room filed with furniture, IL is
impossible for the voice 10 ring loud
and clear. The tousils and soft palate
Of the trained singer on the other hand,
are TetTaCted and hardened and the pen
dent uvula has entirely disappeared, Civ
ing the voice a clear and wide passage
with firm walls. and consequently In
creasing its volume and improving its
quality.
The method is recommended for the Gull
tivati0n of the speaking as well as the
singing voice. and for the prevention and
alienation Of various diseases of the
throat. 1T gives astonishing relief i'm ca
tarTh Of the throat and suggests new pos
SibiliJies in the treatment OF enlarged ton
sis"
Now. these exercises consist essentially
OF yaWning. which has recently been rec
commended, independently. as d valuable
exercise for the respiratory organs. Ac-
cordinE 10 Dr. Naeg.i. of The University
of Luettich, yawnins brings all the respir-
atOry muscles of the chest and throat
into action. and is therefore the best and
most natural means of strengthening
them He advises everybody 10 yavn as
deeply as possible, with arms out
stretched. in order TO change completely
the air in the lungs and stimulate respira-
ton. In many cases he has found the
practice to relieve the difficulty In swal-
lowing and disturbance of the sense of
hearing that accompany catarrh of the
throat. The patient is induced 10 yawn
through suggestion, imitation. or a pre-
liminary exercise in deep breathing. Each
treatment consists of from six to eight
yawusi each followed by the operation Of
swallowing.
1t should he added. however. that it is
quite possible for deep breathing to be
OverdOne. particularly by persons with
weak hearts, and II is at least Open to
question whether the obstacles 10 free res
piration which the yawning cure is al
legged 20 remove are not useful in prevent
ing the entrance Of germs and other for
eIgn bodies