Music Trade Review

5th, 1881.
THE -- MUSICAL
AND TRADE
REVIEW.
Music Trade Review
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with the most important part, that which represents the signet, behind.
The narrow circular front part is shown in Fig. 7 (2). The drawing will
A SERIES OF POPULAR PAPERS BY WHITFIELD WARD, A.M., M.D., PHYSICIAN also give some idea of the relationship of the two cartilages. The subjoined
cut is a perfect likeness of this cartilage when seperated from the other car-
TO THE METROPOLITAN THROAT HOSPITAL.
tilaginous bodies.
The arytenoid cartilages have already been
alluded to in connection with the laryngeal image.
V.
They receive their name from their resemblance to
the mouth of a pitcher. Arytenoid being from the
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE THROAT.
Greek for pitcher. These bones are two small
N order that the various subjects to be discussed hereafter, may be appre-
triangular bodies, placed on top of the cricoid
ciated by the general reader, it will be absolutely necessary to briefly
in the two little depressions noticeable in the upper
consider the anatomical structure of the vocal organs. The apparatus for
part of the thick or signet portion of this bone.
the production of sound is a combination of three distinct organs, namely:
The arytenoids are exceedingly important from their
1. The lungs.
peculiar action and because they afford attachment
Fig. s.-The cricoid Cartilage. t o t h o a e w o n d e r f n i littlo bodies the vocal cords.
2. The bronchial tubes.
3. The windpipe.
The arytenoids are loosely attached by a thin membrane to the top of the
The lungs (Fig. 7) are the essential organs of respiration. They are cricoid which allows them to revolve inwards and outwards at will, move-
two in number, placed one in each side of the chest, and separated from ments which account for the drawing together and separating of the vocal
each other by the heart and several large blood vessels. The two lungs are cords during phonatory acts. As will be shortly shown several of the
called right (6) and left (8) respectively, from the side which they occupy. rocal muscles are attached to the arytenoids and regulate the characteristic
The right lung is the largest, on account of the presence of the heart on the iction of these cartilages.
left side, which takes up considerable space. The weight of both lungs
The epiglottis is a thin cartilage attached to the voice-box just above
together is about forty-two ounces, the right lung being two ounces heavier the "apple." It has already been sufficiently referred to in connection
than the left. The lungs are heavier in the male than in the female. The with the laryngeal picture.
pulmonary substance is composed of an immense amount of little cells,
Having obtained the framework or skeleton, so to speak, of the larynx,
called air-cells. These, as is beautifully shown in the accompanying picture, et us consider the several muscles which regulate the movements peculiar
surround a number of minute tubes, which divide and subdivide like the to this organ. In my description of the laryngeal muscles, I shall mention
branches of a tree.
only those which preside over the movements of the vocal cords, and which
I shall style the vocal muscles. In order that the function of these bodies
be appreciated, it will be necessary to briefly allude to the movements that
characterize the vocal cords.
There are four of these movements, viz:
1. Adduction.
2. Abduction.
3. Tension.
4. Relaxation.
Adduction is the approximation or briging together of the vocal cords.
During ordinary breathing, the cords lie along the sides of the larynx in a
perfectly placid or relaxed state. When, however, a tone is to be produced,
they become active and approach each other in the middle of the tube.
This action on the part of the vocal bodies is styled adduction.
Abduction.—When the cords are approximated during phonatory acts,
it is necessary that they be frequently separated in order that air may gain
access to the lungs. This movement on the part of the vocal bands is
styled abduction. If one of the chords should be paralyzed, and unable to
thus separate, a serious impediment would be offered to respirations.
Tension.—This act is a tightening of the vocal cords when adducted or
brought together. This force is absolutely necessary to the production of
certain portions of the vocal register and will be fully described in a future
article.
Relaxation.—This action is the loosening of the vocal cords and will be
fully described in the article referred to above.
The vocal muscles are divided into four sets or groups, namely:
1. Adductors.
2. Abductors.
3. Tensors.
4. Relaxors.
Each one of these individual groups preside over a particular movement
Fig. 7.—Lungs, Bronchial Tubes, Trachea, and Larynx.
of the vocal bodies, and receives its name therefrom.
As the air enters the lungs through the windpipe, the air-cells, above
The adductor muscles simply adduct or bring together the vocal cords.
depicted, are distended with the pure air, the oxygen of which is destined
There are two of these muscles:
to penetrate throughout the entire system.
1. Arytenoid.
The bronchial tubes (5 and 7), accurately shown in the above illustra
2. Lateral crico-arytenoid.
tion, and recognized by the surrounding black bands or rings, are at firs'
The arytenoid muscle is a single
exceedingly small. They, however, diametrically increase in size as the;;
body and is situated between the
ascend, by the coalescing or union of smaller ones, until they finally verg<
two arytenoid cartilages (see fig.
into two large pipes. The rings above alluded to are made up of a soft,
9). It adducts the cords by draw-
bony material/and are for the express purpose of preserving the potency 0
ing together the arytenoid cartil-
the tubes.
ages, as the two vocal bodies are
firmly attached thereto.
The windpipe is formed by the joining together of the two bronchia!
tubes. It is divided into two portions—the trachea (4), below, and th<
The lateral-crico-arytenoid is,
larynx (3), above.
as its name implies, attached to
the side of the cricoid and the
Of all the parts which I have thus far described, none interests us s<
base of the arytenoid, there are
much as the larynx, whose structure is wonderful beyond description. Thi
two of these muscular bodies,
little organ, which is capable of producing such a great variety of brillian
one on either side. They adduct
tones, is only from one and a half to two inches in length and from three
the cords by pulling directly on
quarters to one and a quarter inches in width.
the bases of each arytenoid,
In order that the larynx may be able to perform its functions properly
which causes them to revolve in-
it must have a certain amount of stability, which enables it to preserve it
wards.
peculiar shape—that of a triangular box. A set of small bone-like bodies,
styled cartilages, perform this important duty. The cartilages of the larynx
Adduction then consists of two
are nine in number, the principal of which are—
movements, a drawing together
Two thyroids.
of the arytenoids by the aryte-
noid muscle, and a revolving of
Two arytenoids.
these bones inwards by the lat-
Cricoid.
eral-crico-arytenoid.
Epiglottis.
The abductor muscles abduct
The remaining bones are small and insignificant and need not be referred
Fig. 9. View of the Larynx looking from above down- or separate the vocal bodies when
to here.
wards,
shovving
the
Thyroid,
Cricoid
and
Arytenoid
The thyroid is the largest cartilage of the larynx. It is so calle Cartilages; also the Vocal Cords and Vocal Muscles. they are approximated. A single
muscle represents this group,
because it looks something like a shield, the word thyroid being an adapta
namely:
tion from the Greek for shield.
This bone forms the side of the larynx, and when joined with its fellow
The posterior-crico-arytenoid.
forms a triangle whose apex corresponds to the prominence popularly known
This mu&cle (see Fig. 9) separates the cords by revolving the arytenoids
as " Adam's apple." The thyroids can be easily felt in the neck of a lean outwards, thus acting exactly contrary to the lateral-crico-arytenoid. As its
person by pressing on both sides of the " apple." It is also shown in Fig. name implies, it is attached to the back part of the cricoid cartilage and to
7 (1). The pomum Adami (Adam's apple), is the most prominent portion o: the base of the arytenoid, and, like its antagonist, has a fellow on the oppo-
the laryngeal box in front, its location being familiar to all. It is mor< site side.
pronounced in the male than in the female, because in the latter sex a largi
The tensors are represented by the crico-thyroid muscles. There are
glandular body is apt to cover it.
two of these muscles—one on either side—and they connect the thyroid and
The cricoid cartilage is so named from its resemblance to a signet ring, cricoid cartilages in front, occupying the space left between these two car-
the above word being a derivation from a Greek word meaning ring. This tilaginous bodies in front (see Fig. 7). They stretch the cords by pulling the
cartilage is located immediately beneath the box formed by the two thyroids thyroids downwards, which act increases the distance between the two points
THE THROAT IN ITS RELATIONS TO SINGING.
I