the chest, and he had had an opportunity of noticing that a large number of deaf mutes suffered from such diseases. And this fact had an intimate connection with their being mute, but not with their being deaf, simply from their not using their vocal organs. It followed, therefore, that if they were taught to speak, the danger of lung disease would be lessened. Then, again, those who did not speak had a habit generally of breathing through the mouth instead of through the nose, and thus the cold air passed directly to the lungs, instead of being warmed, moistened, and filtered from dust in the nasal passages, as Nature intended. He would not confine this to those who were born deaf, for he had known several instances of children who had learned to speak having lost that faculty in consequence of deafness. As a rule, if hearing was lost at the age of six, speech was lost as well. This method of instruction in articulation would also be of great advantage in the case of children with hare lip and cleft palate, where the voice became harsh and unpleasant from being directed through the nasal passages. For these and other reasons he desired, on behalf of the medical profession, to bear testimony to the value of the German system, and especially in behalf of having a large number of efficiently trained teachers rather than increasing the number of schools. He hoped next week to draw special attention to this subject in a course of lectures he was about to give at Gresham College, and he should lose no opportunity of pressing it on the attention of the profession.
Mr. Ackers, in reply, acknowledged the courteous manner in which this paper had been received, even by those who did not agree in all its conditions, and said he on his part should be very sorry to say anything unkind towards those who were promoting any system which they believed to be the best for the welfare of the deaf and dumb. It was, however, a mistake on the part of Mr. Smith to suppose that a deaf person could not understand what was said by a person wearing a beard and moustache, as he could show him if he would honour him with a visit. It was simply a question of habit and education; his daughter could understand him as readily as she could her
