The Laryngoscope. 23 
bent, in the throat of the person experimented on, against 
the soft palate and uvula. The party ought to turn him- 
self towards the sun, so that the luminous rays falling on 
the little mirror may be reflected on the larynx. If the 
observer operate on himself, he ought, by means of a second 
mirror, to receive the rays of the sunand direct them onthe 
mirror which is placed against the uvula.” 
The description is simple and complete, and the method 
in Garcia’s hands was abundantly fruitful. All the present 
instruments are merely improvements in detail to enable 
the observer to carry out easily these directions. 
By this means Garcia was able to show that ina state 
of rest, that is while breathing quietly, the opening between 
the vocal cords (called the glottis) remains quiet and 
widely open. That, during deep chest sounds and shrill 
vocal noises the epiglottis or bridge over the wind-pipe 
which closes in the act of swallowing is more upright. 
That the two upper bands (commonly called superior vocal 
cords) which cross the wind-pipe have no influence on the 
voice ; but that this is produced by the two inferior bands 
(true vocal cords) which may be distinctly seen vibrating 
with degrees of rapidity varying with the tone. The 
higher the pitch the more rapid are the vibrations of these 
two vocal cords. Such results as these were surely suff- 
cient to establish the reputation of the experimenter, and 
great must have been his gratification at being able not 
only to peep into the hidden parts of our curiously con- 
structed frame, but to actually see with his own eyes those 
parts engaged in the work for which they were expressly 
made. Wemay now watch with kindred feelings the mode 
in which the voice is actually produced, but perhaps our 
emotions can never be such as we tnay imagine those of him 
who first gazed on the hidden portions of the machinery of 
life in action. 
The reader who is anxious to see for himself the points. 
here described should not be discouraged by the first 
failure. Neither let him blame his instruments for what 
they are probably not in fault. His greatest difficulty will 
be his own want of care. Let him first of all experiment 
on himself, he will be much more likely to avoid tickling 
his own throat by the mirror than he would that of a friend, 
besides, it is scarcely fair to expect a friend to subimt 
to the necessarily unpleasant sensation, until he has 
acquired sufficient dexterity to reduce it to a minimum. 
The beginner will be able at his first sitting to make out 
the epiglottis, that draw-bridge which enables the food to 
