AND PHYSIOLOGY, 



265 



hollow portion of the violin and violincello, or the long tube of 

 brass instruments, gives the proper tone to these instruments. 

 The want of such a cavity for the perfection of the human 

 voice is well appreciated, when a person is suffering with a 

 severe cold in the head, as it is termed. In this case the 

 voice is of an extremely nasal character, because the passage 

 to the frontal sinus is closed up by a thickening of the lining 

 membrane, which prevents a resonance of the tones made in 

 the larynx. 



465. Function of the Nostrils in the Voice. — An open 

 passage through the nostrils is also very important for the 

 production of perfect tones of the voice. For when this is ob- 

 structed in any way, the head or nasal tone is invariably pro- 

 duced. 



♦ 



466. Function of the Tongue in the Making of Ar- 

 ticulate Sound — Not Absolutely Essential —The tongue 

 is the chief organ of articulation, and in connection with 

 the lips and teeth, the tones made in the glottis are either 

 lengthened or shortened, and otherwise modified to form the 

 different letters. If either of these organs is deficient in sub- 

 stance or function, the articulate sounds are imperfect ; as, 

 for instance, the letters T, D, L, F, and S, which require a 

 full development of all the parts for their perfect enunciation. 

 It is, however, stated as a fact, that some people have been 

 known to articulate words with distinctness after the tongue 

 was removed by a gun-shot wound. 



HYGIENIC INFERENCES. 



467. — 1. From the size of the lungs we see that they are 

 organs of great importance in the system. 



468. — 2. Liability of the Lungs to Disease— On ac- 

 count of their delicate structure and constant use, they are 



What produces the talking through the nose, as it is termed? 465. How do the nos- 

 trils affect the voice ? 466. What use has the tongue in speech ? Also the teeth and 

 lips? Is the tongue always absolutely essential? 467. What does the great size of the 

 lungs show us ? 



