The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-06-20
THE MICROPHONE.

THE MICROPHONE.
In an interview with one of our re-
porters, which was published in yes
terday's World. Mr.. Edison, the
inventor Of the telephone, said that in
his opinion Professor Hughes made
ssbig steal'' when he constructed the
microphone, and that the thing from
which he stole was nothing less than
the telephone. Mr.. Edison is entitled
to all credit for the production of his
marvellous instrument, and the fact
that he was proceeded by Refs and
Weatherstone, as Prof. Hughes was
the follower of him. detracts nothing
from it's merit. The possibilities and
the actual results of the microphone
are different from and far more
wonderful than those Of the tele-
phone. The latter instrument is but
transmitter of sound; the former
has rendered it possible to hear the
footsteps of a fly, and will enable us
to hear the grass grow. The electric
currents by means of which aerial
vibrations are reproduced by the
hearing diaphragm of the telephone
are feeble and have to be reinforced
by coil; in effect the sound in the
telephone as it reaches the ear is
a photograph, while in the microphone
it is a photograph vastly enlarged. 1t
has been demonstrated that light
itself is too coarse a medium--even
if there were no other insurmountable
barriers in the Way--tO make 1T pos
sible for us ever to see the molecules
of matter. The English scientific
journal, Nature, says that sit is not
too early to see that we have in the
microphonea new method of attaching
and quantifying molecular notions
The telephone, wonderful as 1T IS,
opens up way for no such achieve
ments as these, and though it forms a
part of the microphone it is delicate
phonoscope to detect variations in
in electrical currents and the conse-
quent reproduction of sound. With
out the telephone we never should
have had the microphone; but without
Chladni we might never have had
Wheatstone and his harp and piano
forte concerts produced on simple
table, and without Wheatstone pos
sibly we should never have been called
upon to admire the beautiful inven-
lions of Mr.. Edison.
Professor Hughes has discovered
| that certain bodies are sensitive to
sound in the same way that selenium
is sensitive to light. Sir William
Thomson had shown that the resis-
lance offered by wires to electric
currents is affected by strains. The
conveyance of sound vibrations in
duces variations in strain, and there
fore the wire resistance must vary
with these vibrations in the minutest
point, even when the transmitted
sound is absolutely inaudible to the
most delicate ear. Professor Hughes
microphOne is the practical result OF
these facts, for it consists essentially
in introducing into a current one of
his sensitive bodies and speaking
directly to or producing vibration
close to it. Thus the current is at
fected, and the sound enormously
amplified by the sensitive body, is
transmitted to telephone, where it
is reproduced. This in nutshell is
the principle ON which the microphone
works, and if it is a ''steaf' Mr.. Edi-
son has every right to make the most
of it.
There is no need of drawing upon
the imagination in describing the
possibilities of this admirable in
strument. Under certain conditions
we can illuminate the interior of the
human body and thus study the action
of some of the organs. By aid of the
microphone physicians will be able to
detect the minutest sounds within Us.
and in examinations of the pulse the
microphone will supplement the
sphygmograph; abnormal beating of
the heart. the rale of diseased lungs,
can be detected long before the
stethoscope can make them manifest.
It is we'll known that when deafness
is not the result of paralysis of the
acoustic nerve the deaf can hear
perfectly any sound the vibrations of
which are communicated to their
teeth; to enable them to hear the
slightest whisper it will be necessary
only to place wire connected with
the microphone between their teeth,
and shut out as they are from enjoy
ment Of music they may be brought
back to it by a microphone on the
sounding board of piano or an
1Eolian harp. The simple telephone
has no such benefcent power as this,
nor could it ever have had if it were
not for the discovery which Profess
sor Hughes has made and put to
practical use.
As we have already said, the bodies
which are peculiarly sensitive to
sound are 50 in way analogous to
light. May discovered that the
power of this metal to conduct
electricity depends upon the action Of
light Ifa rod Of solonium Is exposed
to light its conductive power is in
creased with tho increase of the in
tensity Of the rays, and different
colors effect il di6erently. II, then,
! instead Of the carbon lo1lnge which