514 VOICE AND SPEECH. 



actual pain of the sides and diaphragm is felt. n Some of our 

 comedians have absolutely agonised me. It arises from drollery, 

 the anticipation of gratification, or actual gratification, or tick- 

 ling ; it is also common in hysteria and insanity. Smiling is the 

 first degree of the same changes of the mouth. 



" Coughing is a quick, violent, and sonorous expiration, follow- 

 ing a deep inspirations." In coughing, the mouth opens that 

 the air may rush in that direction, since the current is not re- 

 quired in the nostrils as in sneezing, and these would not afford 

 sufficient vent. The glottis lessens just before the expiration, 

 and the transverse muscular fibres of the trachea lessen its 

 diameter and thus increase the force with which the expelled air 

 rushes.? Coughing is induced by the very slightest irritation of 

 the larynx. But irritation of any part of the respiratory appa- 

 ratus may occasion it, as well as irritation of a distant part 

 influencing the respiratory apparatus sympathetically. It some- 

 limes arises from a morbid sensibility of the nerves, so that I have 

 known it occur for months at the full distension of every in- 

 spiration, except during sleep ; and in other instances on the 

 slightest touch of the outside of half the chest. There are many 

 varieties of the sound and respiratory actions of cough* 



rt Snoring is " said by Blumenbach to be " a deep, sonorous, 

 and, as it were, tremulous inspiration^ from the vibration of the 

 velum pa^ati during deep sleep." We can, however, snore volun- 

 tarily while awake ; and, by allowing a portion of the tongue to 

 rise into contact with the velum, I can snore so that the sound 

 shall proceed from vibrations of the nose as well as of the velum, 

 evident both to the ear and to the fingers placed upon the nose. 

 I can also increase the proportion of the nasal vibrations at plea- 

 sure, by allowing more of the tongue to rise into contact with the 

 velum and palate, and cause them only to take place, even if the 

 mouth is closed* and, if it is closed, snoring is always more or 

 less nasal. In sleep, snoring may be palatal or nasal, or both in 

 various proportions. The sound, as well as its situation, varies 

 accordingly as it is palatal or nasal, or more one than the other. 



n " Sport that wrinkled Care derides, 



And Laughter holding both his sides." 



L* Allegro. 



9 "J. Melch. Fr. Albrecht, (Praes. Hallero) Experimented in vivis awmaKbus 

 circa tu&is orgttna exploranda institicta. Getting. 175 1/ 4 to." 

 Sir C. Bfell, PAef. Treats. 1832. p. STJOv sqq. 



