Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-13
THROAT HOSPITAL FOR
CHORUS IN NEW OPERA

| An adjunct absolutely unique in the
| annals of the theater has been installed
| in the Casino theater in New York city
by Fred c. Whitney and to its agency
may be traced the fact that the great
strain on the throats of the chorus
men and women of 1.-THE Chocolate
Soldier" has had no appreciable ef-
feet on their voices, which continue as
fresh and strong in spite of the six
months wear and tear on them as
when the opera was first produced
here early in the season. This inno-
walton is nothing more or less than
the installation of a thoroughly equip
ped throat hospital, or inhalatorium,
under the direction of DR.. Joseph Muir,
the well known throat specialist, and
trained nurse working under his di-
rection, in which the chorus girls par
| ticularly are treated every night be-
fore the second act in which in the
finale there is such a tremendous
strain on their singing powers.
For some weeks before the installa-
tion of the hospital in the Casino many
of the young women of the chorus and
some of the principals as well had
found it necessary to take private
treatment for their throats. This ne
cessitated an interval between the
time of taking the treatment and their
appearance in the theater, during
which some of the beneficial effects had
time to be dissipated. Thereupon Mr..
Whitney hit upon the idea of having
the mountain brought to Mohomet,
and after considerable negotiations
with DIR. Muir some of that special
lists apparatus was moved to the
Casino and thoroughly equipped hos
pital installed.
The results have more than exceeded
the best expectations of Mr.. Whitney.
Oh,
the efforts made in their behalf, but
they are enabled to throw themselves
into their work with a vocal abandon
that has caused much comment on the
part of the audiences that witness the
performance, and their fresh, strong
voices ring out in the wonderfully con-
certed finales in a manner to bring
forth ringing applause.
So great has been the success of this
venture on the part of Mr.. Whitney
that he has adopted it as a perma
nent feature during the run of the
opera here when it goes on the road
next season, and it will unless New
York demands more of it then, an as
sistant of DIR. Muir will accompany the
show, and in cities where it plays for
more than a week an inhalatorium. as
complete as can be installed, will be
put into the theater where THE Choc-
olate Soldier" plays. 1t has also been
arranged that DR.. Muir's apparatus,
or replicas of those being used here,
will be sent to London, where Mr..
Whitney expects to present 1.-THE
Chocolate Soldier in the haunts of
George Bernard Shaw this spring.
1t is one of the most novel sights
ever witnessed in a theater to see the
chorus women troop down to the hos
pital after the first act of the opera lin
which they do not appear) and pre-
pare for their treatment before ghe
second act. The hospital is entirely of
white enamel, furniture, washstands
and all other paraphernalia being Of
the most modern antiseptic invention.
The place is convenient to the stage,
kept by the trained nurse with the
most scrupulous care and no one is
allowed to enter it or take the various
treatments for nose and throat except
under the direction of the physician OF
his assistant.