, 1870-06-12
An Acoustic Scanccs
Translated for Tx Tribune, jrvm the French, BY ch

&SNA<N%<AS*S AS% 4sA"~'FN1 +~ = N.''~@F - ~
1fesset.
In the salons Of Pleyel-Wolf, which are al-
wars opeu to whatever interests art, and even
science, was lately given seance ddcoustiqtte
governmental" Of the greatest interest. The
learned Professor Iisssjous, whose name is
IN authority in that branch OF natural philos-
ophr, spoke Of musical and sentative dames-
3 subject well calculated to interest the artists
who formed the greatest part OF his audience.
After few preliminary considerations, cor
ce.ning the principles Of the formation Of
sound in general, Lissajous demonstrated by q
series of successive experiments the possibility
OF obtaining sounds, more or less intense, by
means of flames placed in certain conditions.
Ilue, taking = Jet Of fame proceeding from
hydrogen gas, be introduced it into glass
cylinder; that flame having arrived At ; Ger
tain height Of the tube, and being sufficiently
node1zied, lArge volume Of sound vas heard.
Iisasjous only repeated, however. an expert
ment well known to those who have frequented
the laI:ar1sory Of natural philosophy. That
phenomenon was observed for the first time
BY Fafnday, and has lecelSed the name OF
.sh1rmonica climica"
The second experiment consisted in expos
ing 10 the heat of 3 flame = glass tube Lined
with metallic cloth. This cloth having been
sufficiently heated, he took tho tube from the
flame, holding It vertically. The current OF
air attracted By the hest Of the tube, but part-
" intercepted in its ascension by the metallic
cloth, produced 4 sound to be heard very dis
tinctty, but which ceased as soon as the Pro-
teasor gave to the tube an horizontal position.
The most interesting Of the experiments OF
the sama kind WAS tho disposition OF flames
into cylinders Of different dimensions, which
were to produce n determined sound, but re-
main Silent until , similar sound was produced
by an external aB-nt-the human voice, for
example, We Ind then series of obetlient
flames, which answered admirably the voice of
their master. such is the explanation which
Iissajous gave to the various phenomene pro-
duced in the tubes: Every emission Of sound
marnot be percep6ble; the exciting agent NAV
be powet1ess to canse it to reach the ear. If It
be not assisted by another agent which
the Professor calle the reinforcing agent.
agent, the sound-board the reinforcing ele-
ment: for the 81 cor, the lips originate the
sound, and the long brass tube gives it its
strength and intensity; il, after having caused
the branches OF tuning.fork to yibrate, {ou.
isolate it, its sononty Will be extremely feeble,
placed, during the vibration of the branches,
On table, tho sound will be dis
tinctly heard from one end Of the
room to the other. Therefore, in the sarleg
O. phsnomena Of which Professor Lissajous
g1se .ne aeaannst!ation, the glass tube acted
vxine Of continuous sound to the fttie sue
cesays aetonataons DE-, p Produced by tho eou,bus-
ton o. ne gss WI w 15egara . tho sensitive
cian, whose name had escaped from Lis mem
CRY, had observed that, under the influence Of
cafaiu noises or Bounds, the aa1nes becsnat
ngitated, 1nd gaye proof Of arcAl sensi,ivcneas
Scjence needed that observation, and verified
f1n existence Of that strange phenomenon
During he "seanos" We are allud1ins lad to; tame ne
fnitated nt the noise Of two pieces OF met:
Goctod against ono another, at the repeate
lhnea coavSsons; IL. ons5 the 4s1 apss ssasos Ss
a1c;tement. began to dance 1t the sound
he pi.no, witch caused 1issstous wittls
obeerye az that flames arc not only sensitive, 81
slso cspIicsous. Some became excite +
by the middle notee, others by Il
eL.,p ones; the sound Of = whistle leave
Tue one impossible, whilst it caus!
others to shudder even the srticnlation OF Il