Patients admitted into the Hospital in each year for ten years.

Whole number. Poor. Pregnant women.

Deaths.

1821

908

364

55

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The Corporate name of this Institution is "The Contributors to the Pennsylvania Hospital." Those citizens, and other charitably disposed persons, who feel desirous to aid it by legacies, contributions, or donations, are requested to attend to this circumstance, lest, by a misnomer, their bequests, &c. should be lost.

We should be pleased to receive official statements, similar to the above, of the accounts of the other Hospitals and Infirmaries in the different cities of the United States.

The Sailor's Magazine and Naval Journal.-This useful periodical is continued with the same philanthropical spirit, and aim at practical instruction, which have distinguished it from the beginning. The best means of diffusing religious knowledge among seamen; notices of the reports and anniversaries of societies for the benefit of this highly useful class of our fellow citizens; sketches of character, and appropriate anecdotes, are some of the topics treated of in the Sailor's Magazine. The work well merits the patronage, not merely of those to whom it is especially addressed, but also of commercial men in general, who have such a direct personal interest in the sobriety, good conduct, and intelligence, of both the officers and men of their vessels. In fine, we may ask, what citizen is there who does not desire that the great arm of his country's defence, the navy, should be sound and efficient.

The Christian Guardian.-This is the title of a weekly paper, published in York, (Canada) for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada. Among other articles of interest to the religious and moral reader, in No. 41, for August 28, is one on Temperance, with this text, "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. Among the sins against temperance on which the writer lays more particular stress, are-I. Indulgence in ardent spirits. II. The improper use of Tea. Under this head he gives the arguments in favour of its use, then some reasons for its disuse; and lastly appeals to Christians to prohibit its use. III. The improper use of Tobacco; by which he means the use of it at all. IV. Imprudence in Diet. V. Intemperance in Sleep. Too much is injurious to health, producing imbecility, and nervous disorders. We should begin to enjoy it in the early part of the night; say from 9 o'clock. VI. Inconsistences in exercise. It may be too violent, or too little, or taken at improper times. Before a meal exercise; after a meal, rest. VII. Intemperance in Dress. VIII. Extravagance in the distribution of time.

JUDAH DOBSON continues to keep for sale, a choice collection of the French, Spanish, and Italian classics.

The JOURNAL OF LAW, a popular periodical, conducted by an association of members of the bar, is published at the office of the Journal of Health, No. 108 Chesnut street, Philadelphia, on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. price $1 50 per annum, in advance. Agents for the Journal of Health are hereby authorised to receive subscriptions.

THE

JOURNAL OF HEALTH.

CONDUCTED BY AN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICIANS.

Health-the poor man's riches, the rich man's bliss.

NO. 3.

PHILADELPHIA, OCTOBER 13, 1830. VOL. II.

WE have frequently pointed out to our readers the potent influence which bodily infirmities exert over the disposition and intellect, and have drawn from this circumstance an additional argument for the preservation of health, as the support and companion of cheerfulness. To-day we shall venture a few remarks on the necessity of encouraging a cheerful state of mind, the better to insure health, and to aid in the important purposes of education, and the pleasures of social intercourse. In many of its bearings, the subject has been beautifully treated in the 143d and 381st numbers of the Spectator: and if we venture in the same path, it may be well supposed, that we do not mean to invite comparison, or assume any other merit than that of merely extending the examination, by some additional facts and illustrations. Our attention is more immediately directed to the charm which cheerfulness throws over all the acts of life, by our glancing over a Discourse on Gaiety in Education,'* being an address delivered before the Polytechnic Establishment of M. Lemoine d'Essoies, on the occasion of the distribution of prizes, in the year. 1824.

Scarcely has the infant learned to distinguish the face of its mother, and recognised the being from whom it derives its nourishment, when it is soothed in its cries of pain by the smiles and songs of this fond parent. A little older, and in constant motion, inquiring, restless, fickle, the child still catches with delight the smile expressive of parental cheerfulness and sympathy

* It forms part of a work, from which we hope hereafter to make useful gleanings, entitled "De Quelques Ameliorations à Introduire dans L' Instruction Publique. Par L. G. Taillefer. Paris, 1824."

VOL. II.-5

35

In conclusion, we cannot forbear introducing a pleasant illustration of the effects of gaiety, as we find it in the address by M. Taillefer, already referred to. As defined by the speaker, gaiety corresponds with our cheerfulness. "But ought. I," says he, "here to pass over the many peculiar benefits which our nation has derived from it? A second Providence, in some measure, for the French people-it is by gaiety that they have overcome so many obstacles, supported so many evils, escaped from so many dangers. It is this quality of mind which gives them that magnanimity in prosperity, that grace and ease of manner in the intercourse of life, by which they are rendered the most amiable, as they are the most valiant, of all nations.”—The scenes which have been recently acted in Paris, and throughout France, not only would prevent us from smiling at this apostrophe, as a display of national vanity; but they would almost induce us to give in our adhesion to every sentiment which it conveys.

THE VOICE.

THE preservation of the voice, and the means of improving its tone and compass, are subjects of no little interest, especially to the public speaker. Even though it be exerted only in ordinary conversation, in reading aloud, or in singing-whether as a part of religious worship, or in the social circle, a full, clear, and pleasing voice, must be considered as no mean accomplishment. -The following hints on the preservation and improvement of this function, will, therefore, we trust, be not unacceptable to our readers.

The first and most important rule for the preservation of the voice, supported equally by ancient authorities and modern experience, is, that the public speaker should, if he "strive for the mastery," be habitually temperate in all things--moderate in the use of wine, and in the indulgence of the table; and not given to any personal excess. A bloated body and an enfeebled constitution, are not only injurious to the voice, but render an individual equally incapable of any other exertion either of the body or mind. The voice should not be exerted after a' full meal. This rule is a consequence of the first. The voice should never be urged beyond its strength, nor strained to its utmost pitch without intermission; such mismanagement would endanger its power altogether, and render it hoarse and

12

grating. Frequent change of pitch is the best preservative. The same rule holds good in music. Skilful singers may, sometimes, for brilliancy of effect, and to show the compass of the voice, run up and touch the highest notes, or descend to the lowest; but they should by no means, in their modulations, dwell long on the extremes.

At that period of youth when the voice begins to assume the deep, full tone of manhood, no violent exertions should be made; but the voice ought to be spared until it becomes confirmed and established. Neither, in accordance with this rule, should the voice, when hoarse, be exerted at any period of life, if it can pos sibly be avoided.

Few things are so injurious to the voice as the use of tobacco. To speak well with any thing in the mouth, is scarcely possible. Provided even the tobacco be removed during a discourse, the saliva, in the absence of the accustomed stimulus, is either not secreted in sufficient quantity, and the mouth becoming dry, renders the voice harsh and broken; or as is most commonly the case, the fluids of the mouth are furnished in excess-a circumstance in the highest degree detrimental to a clear and harmonious utterance. Snuffing is even more objectionable than chewing: by causing the breathing to be carried on solely through the mouth, the use of snuff produces very nearly the same change in the tone of the voice as occurs in an individual labouring under a cold. By all who desire the attainment of a clear, distinct, and pleasing utterance, the use of tobacco in any manner, should be abstained from.:

The voice as well as the health of a speaker, suffers materially, unless the chest is allowed to expand freely. Hence, all compression or restraint should be carefully removed from this por tion of the body: for the same reason, an erect position should be assumed as well in speaking and reading aloud, as in singing. The tone of the voice is also considerably impaired, and its strength diminished, by a tightly drawn, or large cravat. Both in speaking and singing, therefore, the neck should be free from compression, and but lightly covered.

7

The great means of improving the voice, as of all other improvements, is constant and daily practice. The professional exercise at the bar, in the senate, or in the pulpit, if properly attended to with a view to improvement, may suffice for the orator of our times. But the ancients, besides this, were in the daily practice of preparatory declamation. Their rule was, after proper bodily exercise, to begin at the lowest tones of their voice, and proceed gradually to the highest. They are said to have pronounced about five hundred lines in this manner, which were committed to memory, in order that the exertions of the voice 'might be less embarrassed.

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40

Longevity of the Rich and Poor.

The second rule has been anticipated, which is regular bodily exercise. The ancients recommend walking a certain distance before breakfast-about a mile. Riding on horseback, we do not find in this case recommended or practised, as a mere exercise. In order to strengthen the voice, Mr. Sheridan advises that such persons as have a weak utterance, should daily practice to read and repeat, in a large room, in the hearing of a friend. The latter should be placed, at first, at such a distance that they may be able to reach him with the voice in its usual tone; the distance is then to be gradually increased, until the friend shall have attained the farthest point at which he can hear distinctly without the voice of the speaker being strained.-There he should remain during his declamations. Through this practice should he proceed, step by step, daily; and by so doing he will be enabled to unfold his organs of speech, and regularly increase the quantity and strength of his voice. It will be found, perhaps, that the same practice will be more easily and effectually pursued in the open air particularly as every speaker cannot conveniently obtain the use of a room of the requisite dimensions.

We have, in the preceding remarks, contented ourselves with giving hygeinic precepts for the preservation and improvement of the voice. They who would desire to become acquainted with its physiology and analysis, and acquire a mastery over the elements of vocal sound, and a correct intonation in reading and speech, cannot consult a better work than that of Dr. James Rush, entitled, "Philosophy of the Human Voice."* We hardly know of any profession or liberal calling-certainly there is no seminary or college, the members of which would not derive equal instruction and pleasure from the perusal and attentive study of this work.

The Difference in the mean Longevity of the Rich and Poor.In the 14th number of the first volume of this Journal, we presented a condensed view of the memoir of M. Villermé of Paris, on the relative mortality of the rich and poor classes of society in the French capital, from which it appears, that, in those quarters of Paris inhabited chiefly by the rich, the annual mortality is from one in 43 to one in 54, while in those inhabited principally by the poorer ranks, the mortality annually rises to one in 24 or 25. This inquiry has been since taken up by M. Benoistin de Chateauneuf, who arrives at the same conclusions from different data. He restricts his researches to the very highest and the very poorest ranks. Of his memoir, contained in the Annales d'Hygiène Publique et de Méd. Lég, for April of the present year, we present the following abstract.

* Philadelphia, printed by J. Maxwell, 1827