CARE OF THE THROAT AND EAR. 795 



gerous. Occasionally ladies inhale the smoke of a closed room where 

 the male members of the household are smoking, and this is injurious 

 to a delicate throat. 



Loud and excessive talking is sometimes a factor in throat dis- 

 eases. The former is more apt to be exercised in transit in our steam 

 or electric cars, and members of the theatrical profession realize this 

 so well that they rarely use their voice while traveling. In excessive 

 talking, in addition to the mechanical wear and tear of the throat, 

 the respiration is usually spasmodic, a combination that is likely to 

 lead to evil results. At puberty, when the voices of boys and girls are 

 changing, the former sometimes almost an octave and the latter usually 

 a note or two, special care should be taken of the voice, and singing 

 or vocal exercises should be discontinued until the change has been 

 finally established. 



The effect of singing on the throat is of much interest, but it is 

 one of such an extensive character that it can be only casually re- 

 ferred to here. The exercise required in singing improves the healthy 

 throat in the same manner that exercise benefits the body in general. 

 The diseased throat, however, may be injured by this practice, as no 

 form of vocal culture can remedy a mechanical interference in its 

 action. The method of singing is also of the utmost importance; an 

 erroneous one may not only injure a promising voice, but may also 

 have a bad effect on a normal throat. The subject of register requires 

 careful consideration. The placing of the voice in the wrong register 

 is fruitful of evil; the ambition of the singer to reach a few notes 

 higher or lower than her range may also work severe injury to the 

 throat. 



The throat may be improved or strengthened by any of the forms 

 of exercise, especially the out-of-door, which have been advised for the 

 health in general. In addition to this, breathing exercises are of 

 special value. These consist of taking deep inhalations through the 

 nose, holding the breath for a few seconds and then gently expiring 

 it, the body in the meanwhile being free from all restraint from tight. 

 clothing. The practice of this exercise for five minutes mornings and 

 evenings will have a remarkable ^effect in developing the chest and 

 throat. 



In order to anticipate serious complications, children should be 

 taught to allow their mothers to examine their throats freely and 

 without resistance. I feel especially the importance of this subject, 

 as I have frequently seen children almost sacrificed on account of 

 the nervous dread of having their throats examined, or by their in- 

 ability to control themselves. The method is exceedingly simple: the 

 child is placed facing a bright window, and the handle of a spoon 

 placed on the tongue and so depressed that the posterior part of the 



