THE SPECIAL SENSES 353 



no sound comes from the vocal cords. A public speaker 

 ordinarily utters 125 words per minute. If there are four 

 sounds to a word, this amounts to 500 sounds each minute 

 or eight each second. 



637. Is the Voice a Stringed or a Wind Instrument ? - 

 The inappropriate names of the vocal cords may lead a 

 student incorrectly to suppose that the voice is a stringed 

 instrument. It is a wind instrument ; the vocal bands cor- 

 respond to the vibrating edge in the opening in an organ 

 pipe, the throat and air passages correspond to the pipe, 

 and the lungs correspond to the bellows that furnish the 

 current of air. 



638. Alcohol and Tobacco. Smokers are frequent suf- 

 ferers from affections of the throat. Smoking may produce 

 a constant " hacking" cough. The hot, poisonous smoke, 

 to say nothing of the poisonous vapor of nicotine, brought 

 in contact with the vocal cords, is almost certain to pro- 

 duce mischief. Singers and public speakers usually have 

 to give up the use of tobacco on this account. Cigarette 

 smoking is especially bad for the voice, as the smoke is in- 

 haled. The deep-toned voice of the chronic drinker may be 

 an indication of inflammation of the larynx, a disease from 

 which beer drinkers often suffer. 



639. Care of the Voice. The voice should not be used 

 more than is absolutely necessary when it is hoarse. 

 Catarrh may injure the voice by injury to the vocal cords 

 or by obstruction of the nasal passages. 



640. The best way for a child to acquire distinct and 

 refined speech, is to hear it habitually. The number of 

 people that are allowed to grow up handicapped by hasty, 

 harsh, indistinct, or disagreeable speech, is very great. 

 Parents and teachers should remember as children are 

 growing up, what an advantage to them in after life a 

 refined, melodious voice will be. Nearly all children have 

 sweet voices when young, but many lose them before adult 



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