Anatomy and Physiology. /I 



edge- ways to the blast of inspiration : they are not however 

 (anches) cuiwes : for the reversing these same curves ought 

 to render sounds impossible before the blast of inspiration 

 to which their backs are turned. These different sounds of 

 the larynx are the voice without the timbre. When I operate 

 on the dead body the timbre re-appears, and the illusion 

 is perfect. 



It is thus the pharynx that gives the timbre. The tonsils 

 also take a part, and their action is of importance. Exciting 

 them makes four of the higher notes to be lost and two low 

 ones * gained. The epiglottis and the base of the tongue 

 have two principal functions. They cause the sort of vocal 

 gurgling, known by the name of variation of shake : be- 

 sides this, when they close the air passage, they favour the 

 sounds of the lungs in which the air is accumulated ; when they 

 open again on the other hand, the sounds rise up and cause 

 the treble. The thyroid cartilage contributes in the living 

 to a lateral pressure which produces three more high notes, and 

 which connects several of the treble notes into long sounds. 

 The arytenoid cartilages and the superior ligaments vibrate 

 and strengthen the sound. When the bow of a fiddle is 

 passed across the cordse vocales, laid bare by the removal of 

 the larynx from above, clamorous tones are produced. When 

 these same cords are bent to the extent of their superior 

 third, sounds of superlative acuteness are produced : when 

 the two cords are cut, we may blow in through the trachea, 

 but only hear ronchi, as in snoring. When only one of them 

 is cut, the voice may continue, which is found to be the 

 case when disease has destroyed one ; a phenomenon which 

 shows that we may speak with one cord (?) as we may see with 

 one eye, and that double organs are a sort of luxury to the 

 system. — Translated from the Archives de Medecine, for Oct., 

 Nov. and Dec, 1846. 



