Right here there is another phase of the situation to which I desire to call particular attention, not alone because of its vital importance to the singer, but also because of the danger to the unschooled student of neglect of what we ordinarily term a cold in the head in its first stages. By the first stage of the cold I mean that condition which obtains before the stage of secretion is arrived at, where the mucous membrane is being congested, where it is almost impossible to distinguish what is the highest point of normal stimulation under which the membrane may be expected to do its best work. This point may be aptly illustrated by comparison with a singer under perfectly normal conditions. Then, as is well known, it is the mental impulse that stimulates nerve, muscle and membrane to do their best work. But in the other condition this result is attained without the mental impulse, as we have the mucous membrane and the blood-vessels carried to a temporary climax of effectiveness due to the systemic disturbance. By this I wish to make clear my point, that artists have often noticed an unusual brilliancy of voice under circumstances which were all the more mysterious because of the sudden collapse of the vocal organ under stress of use, and the alarming suddenness of the catastrophe which overtakes them and leaves them totally incapacitated. Then they say, "I have a cold;" whereas it requires from twenty-four to thirty-six hours for the fulfilment of these conditions. They should have reached this sensible conclusion just two days before. I take issue with those physicians who urge that certain exercises should be given to the artist when the vocal cords are in a state of congestion, for the reason that it requires a period of from ten to fourteen days for the complete relief of this inflammation. During that period, the blood-vessels are fully employed absorbing the products of the inflammation, and any attempt to interfere with this necessary process of nature can end only in disaster or in a prolongation of the difficulty. This is the law of pathology, unalterable and not to be evaded. Physicians at times resort to soothing and astringent applications in an emergency, to carry the artist through a performance; but the lack of edge to the voice for weeks following is an all-sufficient indication of the revenge nature takes for this trespass upon her domain.