242 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. VIII., No. 188 



pitch as well as protecting it from injury or de- 

 cay. 



After describing the anatomy of the vocal 

 organs, the author passes to a consideration of 

 the uses of the laryngoscope. Although this in- 

 strument is of inestimable value in the recognition 

 and treatment of disease, it has, nevertheless, 

 added very little to the knowledge of the physiol- 

 ogy of the larynx. This is accounted for by the 

 greater amount of skill required for the examina- 

 tion of the larynx in the act of singing than for 

 ordinary medical purposes, and also by the fact 

 that but few throats are sufficiently tolerant to 

 permit of such a prolonged examination as is ne- 

 cessary to obtain results of much value. 



The development of the voice receives consid- 

 erable attention in the authoi-^s methods. Many 

 children can be taught to sing little airs when 

 they are between three and four years old. From 

 the age of six until that of fourteen or sixteen the 

 voice undergoes but little change except in the 

 way of gaining power. At this time a marked 

 change occurs, more noticeable in boys than girls, 

 that is, ' the changing of the voice.' This is due to 

 an increase in the size of the larnyx in all its di- 

 mensions, enlai'gement and consolidation of the 

 cartilages, and an increase in length and thickness 

 of the vocal cords. 



In speaking of the training of the singing voice. 

 Dr. Mackenzie recommends vocal gymnastics and 

 a development of the breathing capacity, by walk- 

 ing, hill-climbing, running, fencing, and swim- 

 ming, and in a chapter devoted to the care of the 

 formed voice directs the avoidance of strain and 

 complete inaction of the vocal organs when out of 

 order. The influence of the general health upon 

 the voice is very marked. "Whatever is good for 

 the singer's general health is pro tanto beneficial 

 to his voice. Alcohol and tobacco should not be 

 used. The hoarse tones of the confirmed A^otary 

 of Bacchus are due to chronic inflammation of the 

 lining membrane of the larnyx : the originally 

 smooth surface being roughened and thickened by 

 the irritation of alcohol, the vocal cords have 

 less freedom of movement, and then vibrations 

 are bku-red, or rather muflfled, by the unevenness of 

 their contiguous edges. 



In discussing the speaking voice, its compass, 

 mechanism, and defects are fully considered. 

 The various diseases of the larynx, paralysis, and 

 abnormal growths are not overlooked, and a 

 special chapter treats of the training of the voice 

 for speaking in public. The importance of early 

 training is dwelt upon, and the improvement 

 which is possible to a poor voice by projDer meth- 

 ods of cultui'e. 



In concluding the volume. Dr. Mackenzie de- 



sires it to be understood that he speaks as a physi- 

 cian, rather than as a singing-master or an elocu- 

 tionist, and that his aim is to furnish the vocalist 

 and public speaker with a guide to the diseases of 

 the voice, and the best means of avoiding them. 

 He has accomplished his object in a manner which 

 is no surprise to those who know his skill and ac- 

 quirements. 



RECENT EARTHQUAKE LITERATURE. 



Report 011 the East Anglian earthquake of April 22,1884. 

 By R. Meldola and William White. London, 1885. 



The Essex field-club of England has devoted vol. 

 i. of its ' Special memoirs ' to the Essex earthquake 

 of April 22, 1884, which has already been the sub- 

 ject of sundry articles in scientific periodicals and 

 society transactions. This publication is much the 

 most extended discussion of the phenomena which 

 has appeared, and its authors have here given us 

 an excellent example of the thorough presentation 

 and discussion of the facts observed. It forms a 

 volume of two hundred and twenty-three pages, 

 with four maps and numerous illustrations in the 

 text. It begins by giving a list of nearly sixty 

 previous British earthquakes which had caused 

 structural damage, the records being drawn from 

 various sources, and including some that are not 

 mentioned in Mallet's ' British association cata- 

 logue.' 



After describing the careful methods of collect- 

 ing and sifting the data in regard to the present 

 shock, some twenty pages are devoted to its general 

 character. It is regarded as the most serious seis- 

 mic disturbance that has affected Great Britain 

 for four centuries, extended over fully five thou- 

 sand square miles, and in intensity is estimated as 

 about one-twentieth of the great Lisbon earthquake 

 of 1755. Pages 44 to 155 are given up to a detailed 

 description of the j)henomena at various places, 

 the accounts being in many cases in the original 

 language of the reporter, and in many more giv- 

 ing the result of personal examination of the locali- 

 ties, immediately after the occurrence, by the 

 authors themselves or by competent persons author- 

 ized by them. No one who has not himself en- 

 gaged in similar work can understand the labor '' 

 involved in the collection and arrangement of the 

 materials here presented. They are accompanied 

 by numerous wood-cuts illustrating the damage 

 done to particular buildings, and the general im- 

 pression produced by their perusal is that the shock 

 was much more severe and destructive than the 

 accounts published at the time had led us to sup- 

 pose. Many instances are given of buildings so 

 wrecked as to be uninhabitable, and in some 

 towns the injured buildings are numbered by 



