The stuff of which speech is made is breath. The principles of right breathing, then, no public speaker can afford to disregard. Ability to control the breath means energy in the place of weariness, clear speaking in the place of stammering, and vigorous organs of speech in the place of inflamed throat, obstructed nostrils, and congested bloodvessels. Keep the mouth shut is a precaution that should be given first of all. Mouth-breathing is dangerous. It causes or hastens diseases of the ears, throat, nostrils, and lungs, and thereby injures the voice. Right breathing causes the nostrils to temper the air and, by means of the short, stiff hairs with which they are lined, to strain from it the dust and other impurities which hasten disease; it also prevents disease by keeping the nasal passages open, for, as Catlin says, "the nasal ducts, being vacated, like vacated roads that grow up to grass and weeds, become the seat of polypus and other diseases. Observation will show that with men, as with horses, "wide, dilated, expanding nostrils are an evidence of capability for physical endurance." To avoid mouth-breathing, the causes should first of all be sought. It is often the result of enlarged tonsils, elongated uvula, protruding teeth, partial closure of the nostrils by injured septum and diseased membrane, and also of mere * Clinton Wagner: "Habitual Mouth-Breathing," p. 19. Edgar S. Werner New York habit. To ascertain the cause it is generally necessary to consult a physician.* Fill the lower part of the lungs first. Air may be taken into the lungs in three ways. First by collar-bone breathing. When this method is employed the abdomen is flattened, the diaphragm is expanded and pushed upward, the collar-bone and shoulders are raised, and only the upper part of the lungs is filled with air. This method of taking breath has almost nothing in its favor. It may indeed be used when feelings of fatigue are to be expressed, or when the lower part of the lungs is disabled; but if used extensively, it is disastrous. In the first place the construction of the upper part of the thorax makes this kind of breathing wearisome. The upper ribs being short and attached to the sternum and spine are not so easily moved as the lower or floating ribs. Then, too, in order to expand the upper part of the chest it is necessary to lift a somewhat heavy bony structure, including the upper ribs, the collar-bone, and the shoulder-blades. * Although in some cases the dentist and surgeon may need to take radical measures, in many others simple remedies will afford relief. In case of wrong habit a firm determination will overcome the trouble. Washing the nostrils with a weak solution of borax and water will often aid in keeping them open. The following is a simple remedy suggested by Leo Kofler: "Lie flat on the back; put some carbolated vaseline on a finger of the right hand, if the right nostril is blocked; hold one finger of the left hand upon the left nostril so that no air can pass through it. Put the vaseline into the right nostril and sniff it up powerfully. Repeat this and apply more vaseline till you succeed in getting air through the nostril. Then reverse the process to open the other nostril. It is also helpful to rub the bridge of the nose and its immediate surroundings with vaseline." 1 The breathing exercises, especially the humming exercise given on page xi, will be found excellent for keeping the nostrils open. For the pernicious habit of keeping the mouth open while sleeping, almost the only effective remedy is forcible closure " by means of a linen or leather support for the lower jaw, adjusted to the top of the head." ? 1 Leo Kofler: The Art of Breathing," p. 51. Edgar S. Werner, New York. 2 Clinton Wagner: "Habitual Mouth-Breathing," p. 35. Edgar S. Werner, New York. Furthermore, to use only the upper and smaller part of the conical - shaped chest necessitates frequent respiration. Hence by this method we secure the smallest supply of breath at the greatest expense of strength. Collar-bone breathing also necessitates an attempt to control the breath in the throat, which was never intended for this purpose. Such imperfect control of the breathing organs, since it sometimes allows the breath to come in spurts or more air to escape than can be vocalized, often makes the voice trembling, jerky, or wheezy. It also causes a constrained position of the vocal organs that prevents due play of the muscles of the vocal bands, alters their physical relation to the impact of the escaping currents of expired air, and thus enfeebles the natural tone of the voice, and renders it less sonorous and less susceptible of modulations. In consequence of this the sounds are proportionately weak, shrill, and monotonous." * Collar-bone breathing is not healthful. "It forces the upper chest-walls up against the root of the throat and has a tendency to congest the blood-vessels and tissues there.” † It thus brings on clergymen's sore throat" and kindred ailments. The second method of taking breath is by costal or rib breathing. By this method the thorax is expanded by extending the lower or floating ribs sideways. This has many advantages over the first method. By causing a larger expansion of the chest it gives a greater supply of air, a better control of breath, and therefore purer and more resonant tones than the collar-bone breathing. But since it is not the best, it is to be recommended only when it is combined with the third method, diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. * Cohen : "The Throat and the Voice," p. 140. P. Blakiston, Son & Co., Philadelphia. In diaphragm breathing the large muscle, the diaphragm contracts, i.e., flattens, and pushes down the viscera, thus affording a larger space in the chest-box for the lungs to expand. This method should almost always be combined with rib breathing; when the diaphragm flattens, the floating and lower ribs should expand sideways. By causing expansion both lateral and vertical this method of breathing provides large air-chambers and a generous supply of air. The importance of a large chest-expansion and a good supply of air is manifest when we remember that the chest serves a double purpose-as bellows to supply the air, and also as a resonance-chamber. "It is the greatest mistake to treat the chest as merely a bellows. The purity, as well as depth, resonance, and volume of the tone depends upon the skill which the vocal chords and articulating organs play upon this quiet air-chamber." * But for the chest to do this double duty as it should, there is necessary a complete control of the breath. This is obtained only by using the diaphragm. In speech more effort is required to hold the breath back than to give it out. Except when the lungs are nearly emptied or when we are shouting, we are not conscious of any effort to drive the air out of the lungs; it seems to rush forth of itself. What we feel the need of is power to hold the breath, to be economical in its use, and not to allow more to escape than we can vocalize. But we should not, as we have seen, hold the breath back with the glottis or any part of the throat. Such a control means constricted muscles and throaty tones. The muscles of the throat should, when we are speaking, be entirely relaxed. This third method of breathing provides for just this perfect openness of the throat. The breath is controlled entirely by the lower intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. *Chamberlain and Clark: " Principles of Vocal Expression," p. 172. Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago. EXERCISES IN BREATHING CAUTIONS 1. Always in summer, and often in the colder seasons, throw open the windows for a few minutes before beginning the exercises. You can thus be assured that, at each deep breath, you are drawing in, not poisonous gases, but health giving oxygen. 2. Do not at first overdo the exercises. If you are a person with weak lungs and heart, just the one who needs most to take breathing exercises, you should obey this direction implicitly. Begin by practising not more than ten minutes at a time, possibly not more than five minutes, two or three times a day. Then increase gradually the length of the time occupied and the number of times the exercise is taken. If, at first, after trying some of the exercises, you are dizzy, do not be frightened. Simply stop for a time, walk around, slap the cheeks if you wish, and the dizziness will soon pass away. 3. It is not well to exercise directly after eating. 4. Be sure that the muscles about the throat are entirely relaxed. The breath should be controlled, I cannot repeat too often, by the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. There should certainly not be any constrictions at the waist. The clothing of women as well as of men should be sufficiently loose to allow the muscles of the chest and waist free play. "I am tempted to insert," says Mr. Southwick in a similar connection," the customary protest against the barbarous and silly custom of tight lacing, but so much has been written and spoken against this utterly indefensible method of self-destruction, that ignorance on such a vital point is inexcusable. Sensible parents and teachers know their duty: the law of the survival of the fittest will take care of the rest. * Southwick: "Elocution and Action," p. 23. Edgar S. Werner, |