Speech Pathology
REVIEWS 223
- Author:
Lee Edward Travis. New York: D. Appleton & uo., iyai.
Speech Pathology by Lee Edward Travis as “a serious and successful attempt to apply general biological principles to a difficult pathological problem” (Herrick) warrants the attention of Avorkers in the field of corrective speech.
Professor Herrick’s further criticism, “The concept of physiological gradients and dominance as applied to speech pathology works out in a very suggestive way and merits further study,” cannot be given sufficient emphasis. Speech, the complex, integrated psycho-neuromuscular process, cannot be dismissed with a simple explanation in which the peripheral structures of speech “commonly divided into three functional groups, the breathing, the vocal, and the articulatory” coordinate and are “synthesized into the configuration known as normal speech.” Assuming that speech is an instinctive process and there is present the necessary motivation and mentality for thinking out material for expression, the whole process is still dependent upon a hierarchic (cerebral) control. Appreciative of this point of view, Travis, in his attempt to attach deservedly ‘extreme significance’ to the cerebral function of speech, has been led to accept an explanation in terms of a dominant gradient of excitation. If such were the case it would seem logical to expect departures in other neuromuscular processes analogous to the deviations in speech disorders. The splendid experiments of Travis, the scientific method of much of his other work causes one to charge him with the least serious offense, in this instance, a violation of the Law of Parsimony. Unless one may assume changed handedness to be subject to climatic or geographical limitations, it is a singular circumstance that in the University of Pennsylvania Speech Clinic, Twitmyer reports that in twenty-five years not one case has been examined in which this was a causal factor of stammering. Indeed, Wallin has pretty well established that the relationship of handedness to stammering does not present any problem. Travis believes “specific handedness to be the sine qua non of specific sidedness,” yet one cannot help viewing with apprehension this phenomenon when observations are based on such unscientific findings as those of Parson. There is little evidence extant to assign speech disorders to an attempted diversion of function of what was intended as the normal dominant.
The investigations and kymographic records of disordered breathing rhythm by Travis are classics. It is the interpretation of the phenomenon which practical speech training disputes. There is much merit in the presentation of the problem in his book. The compilation of material is a scholarly one. But to the pragmatist who is interested in effecting cures and not in mooted academic theories alone the work is lamentably lacking. The reviewer recommends Speech Pathology as an indispensable volume. The viewpoint of Travis must be considered and is perhaps, in part, applicable to some few cases of speech disorders. Ultimately the diagnosis and therapy for speech cases must take into account many aspects and the present contribution is a noteworthy one. The Gestalt concept of speech is, we believe, not applicable and plays no important part in those cases referable to the acquisition of an incorrect kinesthetic image, lowered sensorial acuities or arrhythmic breathing.
At this stage of our knowledge of speech disorders it seems more justifiable to collate existing information and to regard any involvement of breathing rhythm or defective articulation as the minoris locus resistentice of the speech process, causal of itself, and to restore normal speech by correcting the action of the malfunctioning musculature.
Cognizant of the value of scientific method in the attack on a serious problem and the stimulating effect on other investigations, the reviewer wishes to pay tribute to the thoroughness of Professor Travis’ work and to predict that certain aspects of his approach shall find their place in the final and complete solution of the problem. Yale s. .Nathanson
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