A VERY CUBIOUS CLASS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 28 April 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

A VERY CUBIOUS CLASS.

People Who Learn How to Co Without

Coughtng,

A physician's advice not to cough when you want to cough, now being circulated in the newspapers, is believed to be sound by some who have tried it. Clark Bell, a lawyer and President of the Medico-Legal Society of this city, has had some experience in suppressing the tendency to cough, which it is interesting to hear him relate. He had a constant irritation in the throat and a cough. Somebody told him of a teacher in the art of 'how not to cough when you want to,' and to that teacher MiBell hied without delay.

Sure enough, pupils, with all brands of coughs attached to them, were there to learn how to lay their bronchial burdens down. Most of them were men in tho serious and learned professions and pursuit? of life, and they acted like awkward and shame - faced school - boys, knowing that they were there to learn so foolish, if not downright impossible, a thing as getting the whip-hand of a cough without medicine! Still, there were .stories of others who had learned it, and these were the days of learning and doing new things, so they held themselves in readiness to make rapid progress. The teacher stood them in a row, made them brace back their shoulders, hold up their chins and draw in their abdomens. This last was not easy of accomplishment to some of them, who had previously permitted their abdomens groat license in the way of development and obtrusiveness ; but they heroically made the attempt. When the class was in order the teacher told them to sing 'Sweet Home.' But they couldn't sing, some of them said. They must, the teacher said. Finally they squeaked away, and then their throats began to cut up. The teacher forbade any throat nconi-ing or coughing, but told them to draw in a long breath and hold it when they wore tempted to cough. After many failures they succeed eel.

They met in class three times a week and spent an hour in singing. Their. throat troubles soon retired under the overpowering, if not harmonious influences of their vocalisation. They oven flattered them selves • that they became pretty good singers. They were forbidden to cough or scour their throats when out of class. Mr Bell said there were hours when he would have ghen a year's income for the privilege of tearing away at his throat in the old-time fashion, but he wouldn't yield to iho temptation, and at last all throat torment left him.

Another benefit which the exorcises brought to the most bulbous of the class : It reduced them in girl h several inches, for which bhev wore correspondingly grateful. -'N.Y. lW