no THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



little doubt that it is sure. Even if it does not kill the body, it 

 too often kills or greatly impairs the victim's working efficiency 

 and usefulness in life. The local effects of cigarettes in the mouth 

 must also be taken into account by those whose work lies in the 

 direction of public speech. The white spots on the tongue and 

 inside of the cheeks, known as " smoker's patches," are believed 

 by some doctors with special experience to be more common in 

 devotees of the cigarette than in other smokers ; this unhealthy 

 condition of the mouth may not only make speaking troublesome, 

 or even painful, but it is now proved to be a predisposing cause 

 of cancer. All fiery or pungent foods, condiments, or drinks tend 

 to cause congestion of the throat, and if this condition becomes 

 chronic it may lead to impairment, if not complete loss, of voice. 

 The supposed miraculous virtues of the mysterious possets and 

 draughts on which some orators pin their faith exist mainly in 

 the imagination of those who use them ; at best they do nothing 

 more than lubricate the joints of the vocal machine so as to make 

 it work more smoothly. This is just as well done by means of a 

 glass of plain water. In France water sweetened with sugar is 

 the grand vocal elixir of political orators. As Madame de Girar- 

 din said, somewhat unkindly : " Many things can be dispensed 

 with in the Tribune. Talent, wit, conviction, ideas, even memory, 

 can be dispensed with, but not eau sucree." Stimulants may give 

 a sort of " Dutch courage " to the orator, and may carry him suc- 

 cessfully through a vocal effort in which indisposition or nervous- 

 ness might otherwise have caused him to fail, but the immediate 

 good which they do is dearly purchased by the thickening and 

 roughening of the mucous surface of the throat to which they 

 ultimately give rise. 



Before leaving the subject of the speaking voice, a word or two 

 may be said on what is more a matter of curious speculation than 

 of practical interest. Is the human voice growing in power and 

 beauty, or is it tending to decay ? Certain physiologists assure us 

 that the retina has acquired the power of distinguishing colors by 

 degrees, and that the process will probably continue, so that our 

 descendants will by and by evolve the power of seeing colors now 

 quite unknown to us. On the other hand, it is undeniable that 

 civilization, so far from increasing the keenness of our sight, 

 threatens to make spectacles universally necessary. There can be 

 no doubt that the voice has developed greatly since our " half -hu- 

 man ancestors " wooed each other in the primeval forests, and it 

 is conceivable that it may in time to come acquire the power of 

 producing musical effects at present undreamed of. It is also 

 probable enough that as the voice gains in sweetness it may lose 

 in power, the latter quality being more required in barbarous than 

 in highly civilized conditions. On the other hand, we are taller 



