“Clear articulation, not loudness in speech, is what the deaf
desire. Remember this, and not only will the deaf hear, but they
will be spared the physical pains and embarrassing discomfort
occasioned by shouting,” advised Dr. C. J. Blake in a lecture at
the Harvard medical school during which he discust hearing and
speech.
“People thoughtlessly shout at those who are afflicted with
deafness, little realizing the real pain they are causing,” said
Dr. Blake. “If you would be thoughtful and considerate of these
unfortunates, put emphasis on the articulation. Again and again
have deaf persons said to me, ‘How I wish people would not shout
at me so,’ and there is a pathetic note in the voice which long
suffering creates.”
It was brought out that the so-called drumhead is tough enough
to sustain a column of mercury twelve inches high and of its own
diameter; but is, nevertheless, delicate enough to record sound
waves vibrating 50,000 times a second.
The ordinary human voice, he explained, is vibrating about 152
times, and should be perfectly understood by an ordinary healthy
individual. Consonant sounds, he said, are the retarding factor
in speech, hence it is the duty of every person to cultivate the
habit of clear articulation.
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