Clinical notes on diseases of the larynx : investigated and treated with the assistance of the laryngoscope / by William Marcet.

  • Marcet W. (William), 1828-1900.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Clinical notes on diseases of the larynx : investigated and treated with the assistance of the laryngoscope / by William Marcet. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    tioner that there is little or no motion of the cricoid cartilage during phonation, an evidence of the want of power of the crico-thyroid or tensor muscles. The screeching sound is due to the passage of air through a highly contracted glottis, which may now be com- ]3ared to a sphincter. On the return of the voice, this sound increases gradually and steadily in loudness, and after a time it is emitted quite natm-ally with- out any effort on the part of the patient, and with its proper tone and modulation. In hysterical aphonia from want of power of the adductor muscles of the cords, the voice returns sud- denly on the appUcation of electricity, and quickly re- assumes its natural condition; if there be a relapse, the voice may again return perfect, under the influence of the same agent, to be lost, possibly, afresh, after- wards. This establishes, according to my experience, a marked physiological difference between aphonia from paralysis of the adductor, and tensor muscles of the vocal cords. A deficiency of power in the adductor muscles, is more likely to cause complete aphonia, than would a weakness of the tensors ; this explains the fact that, in hysteria, we do not usually meet with hoarseness, but either with a weak voice, or complete failure of the voice. Such cases are often treated successfully by the application of galvanism to the cords ; this means, however, does not always succeed : first, fi-om the trouble occasionally experienced in the application of the treatment, on account of the nervous disposition of the patient; and next, because of the difficulty of obtaining a permanent cure. It is most discouraging to the practitioner, when, after much pains and per- severance, he is just bringing the larynx into sight.