Page 167 - My FlipBook
P. 167
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OF THE USE OF THE TEETH, ETC. 151
This happens only in the adult set of Teeth, and is owing to
there not being room in the Jaw for this second set, the Jaw-Bone
being formed with the first set of teeth, and never increasing
afterwards; so that if the adult set docs not pass further back,
they must over-lap each other, and give the appearance of a
second row.
OF THE USE OF THE TEETH SO FAR AS THEY AFFECT
THE VOICE.
The Teeth serve principally for mastication and that use
;
need not be farther explained.
They serve likewise a secondary, or subordinate purpose
giving strength and clearness to the sound of the voice, as is
evident from the alteration produced in speaking, when the Teeth
are lost.
This alteration, however, may not depend entirely upon the
Teeth, but, in some measure, on the other organs of the voice
having been accustomed to them ; and therefore when they are
gone, those other organs may be put out of their common play,
and may not be able to adapt themselves so well to this new
instrument. Yet I believe that habit in this case has no great
effect ; for those people seldom or never do get the better of the
defect ; and young children who are shedding their Teeth, and
are, perhaps, without any Fore Teeth for half a year or more,
always have that defect in their voice, till the new Teeth come
and as these grow, the voice becomes clear again.
This use seems to be entirely in the Fore Teeth ; for the
loss of one of these makes a great alteration, and the loss of
two or three Grinders seems to have no sensible effect. As an
argument for the use of the teeth in modifying the sound of
the voice, we may observe, that the Fore Teeth come at a time
when the child begins to articulate sounds, and at that time
they are so loose in the gums, that they can be of very little
service in mastication.
Every defect in speech, arising from this defect in the organ,
OF THE USE OF THE TEETH, ETC. 151
This happens only in the adult set of Teeth, and is owing to
there not being room in the Jaw for this second set, the Jaw-Bone
being formed with the first set of teeth, and never increasing
afterwards; so that if the adult set docs not pass further back,
they must over-lap each other, and give the appearance of a
second row.
OF THE USE OF THE TEETH SO FAR AS THEY AFFECT
THE VOICE.
The Teeth serve principally for mastication and that use
;
need not be farther explained.
They serve likewise a secondary, or subordinate purpose
giving strength and clearness to the sound of the voice, as is
evident from the alteration produced in speaking, when the Teeth
are lost.
This alteration, however, may not depend entirely upon the
Teeth, but, in some measure, on the other organs of the voice
having been accustomed to them ; and therefore when they are
gone, those other organs may be put out of their common play,
and may not be able to adapt themselves so well to this new
instrument. Yet I believe that habit in this case has no great
effect ; for those people seldom or never do get the better of the
defect ; and young children who are shedding their Teeth, and
are, perhaps, without any Fore Teeth for half a year or more,
always have that defect in their voice, till the new Teeth come
and as these grow, the voice becomes clear again.
This use seems to be entirely in the Fore Teeth ; for the
loss of one of these makes a great alteration, and the loss of
two or three Grinders seems to have no sensible effect. As an
argument for the use of the teeth in modifying the sound of
the voice, we may observe, that the Fore Teeth come at a time
when the child begins to articulate sounds, and at that time
they are so loose in the gums, that they can be of very little
service in mastication.
Every defect in speech, arising from this defect in the organ,
