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
photograph, while in the microphone
it is photograph vastly enlarged. 1t
has been demonstrated that light
itself is too coarse 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 ofattaching
and quantifying molecular motions.
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-
tions of Mr.. Edison.
Professor Hughes has discovered
that certain bodies are sensitive to
sound in the same way that selenlum
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 Hughe s
microphone is the practical result OF
these facts, for it consists essentially
J in introducing into 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 q telephone, where II
is reproduced. This in a nutshell Is
the principle on which the microphone
, works, and if it is ''steal MIR. Ed
, son has every right to make the mos
, of it.
There is no need of drawing upor
: the imagination in describing thu
possibilities of this admirable in
| strument. Under certain condition.
, we can illuminate the interior of thu
| human body and thus study the actor
, of some of the organs. BY aid of th'
microphone physicians will be able t.
detect the minutest sounds within Us
. and in examinations of the pulse thu
D microphone will supplement th'
5 sphygmograph; abnormal beating o
r the heart. the rale of diseased lungs
7 can be detected long before thu
D stethoScope can make them manifest
: It is we'll known that when deafness
1 is not the result of paralysis of thu
i, acoustic nerve the deaf can hea
Q perfectly any sound the vibrations o
Q which are communicated to thei
j. teeth: to enable them to hear tn,
a slightest whisper it will be necessar,
: only to place wire connected will
e the micruphone between their teeth
d and shut out as they are from enjoy
ment of music they may be brough
e back to it by q micIophone on tn,
Q sounding board of a piano or al
4 4Eolian harp. The simple telephon,
r has no such beneficent power as this
l. nor could it ever have had if it wer.
Q not for the discovery which Profes
5 sor Hughes has made and put t,
q practical use.
q As we have already said, the bodie.
! which are peculiarly sensitive II
. sound are so in a way analogous Il
! light. May discovered that tn,
; power Of this metal to conduc
. electricity depends upon the action O
7 light. Ifa rod of solenium is exposed
t to light its conductive power is il
: creased with the increase of the in
{ tensity Of the rays, and different
J colors effect it differently. II, then
. instead Of the carbon lozenxo which