The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-01-02
CAN FINGERS AND TOES SING.

CAN FINGERS AND TOES SING.
An Electricians Views on the Idiophonic
Character Of the Human Body.
From the Mes York World.
In the World of Sunday appeared a
communication from a physician announ-
cling the ease of a young lady in Chicago,
who, while in condition resembling that
of Miss Fancher, of Brooklyn, developed
the power of whistling with her eyes and
singing part songs with her extremities.
Although these statements were startling
in the extreme and calculated to excite
the ridicule of the most credulous, a re-
porter of the World recalled the wonder
full powers of the phonograph, which can
sing without vocal chords and whistle
without any pickering of lips; and be also
remembered various curious properties OF
the electrcal current, which under certain
condition produces of itself audible sounds.
Then he called on a man, who, for his
own amusement and insti uctloD, has
experimented with tn. electric force for
many years. and asked his opinion.
well" said he, ''let me say first that
believe at some future day the nervous
force and electricity will be found to be
identical. Every scientific man knows
that certain manifestations are common
to both these forces. Now. In the normal
condition Of the human body while the
organs carry out their functions their &C
ton is not appreciate: but SO soon as a
man becomes sick or slightly out Of sorts
he knows from his unpleasant feelings
that he has a heart or lungs or stomach,
as the case may be. Supposlng the nerv-
Gus system becomes diseased, or that Its
functions are thrown ont of gear, SO to
speak, then we have n series OF the most
remarkable manii ,tions, occurring quite
regularly sometiI -, nd due entirely to
a perversion Of the control OF the BRAIN
over the peripheral nerves. | may say
in passing that my theory Of the identity
Of electricity and nerve forces Is supported
to certain extent by analogy. Years
ago it was supposed that electricity and
magnetism were entirely different forces;
yet it was easily proved by an intelligent
experimentalist that they were the same
power generated in different ways.
But to come to the subject of the CHI
cago patient" continued the electrician.
1T has been found in experiments with
the telephone that most curious audible
effects have been produced by the passage
of reversed intermittent current OF cleo
tricity through the human body. A rheo-
tome or regulator of the current was
placed in circuit with the primary wires
of an induction coil and the wire was con-
nected with two strips of brass. One Of
these strips was held closely against the
ear and loud sound proceeded from 1t
whenever the other strip was touched
with the other hand. When two persons
receive a snock from Ruhmkorff's col
by clasping hands, each taking hold of one
wire of the coil with the free hand, a
sound is found toproceed from the clasped
hand When the arm of one person is
placed against the arm Of another under
these conditions the noise produced can be
heard several feet. More than this, Prof.
Bell has shown that when an intermittent
current from Ruhmkorff's coil is passed
through the arms a musical note can be
perceived when the ear Is closely applied
to the arm of the person experimental up
on. Mr.. Elisha Gray, an inventor OF
telephone, also produced audible effects
by the passage of electricity through the
human body"
But" asked the reporter, ''how do
tltSc Win t-AC spuiAVS
coming from human body at the will of
the patient:'
"Let me go on with the record of the
electrical experiments, and will tell you
nv theory afterwards" answered the eiec-
trician. 'ln this Chicago case 1t was said
that the patient, if | remember rightly.
sang soprano with her right heel and alto
with her left. Now, 1t is found
Al
is occasioned by the spark OF a
Ruhmkorii' coil when the primary circuit
is made and broken with sufficient rapid
ty. When two rheotomes Of different
pitch are caused simultaneously to open
and close the primary circuit, a double
tone proceeds from the spark.
Now for my theory. The rheotome
and the rheostat are used in experiment.
ing with electricity to regulate or intermlt
the electric current, and under these condi-
lions musical tones may be made to pro-
coed from any part Of the human body
when the poles of the battery are applied
to it. Now, assuming my theory ofthe
identity Of the electric and biolo2ic forces
to be correct. you may have III" rheotome
and the rheostat in the interrupted state
of the biologic force. More than this, If
a subject bedridden. for certain length
Of time the tissues become tightly drawn
over the most prominent parts of the body
the joints. knuckles, etc.-and so form a
sort OF vibratory diaphragm that with the
slightest touch. especially Of a highly
magnetized person. will. as indeed will all
cartilages ike those of the eyes, send forth
musical sound. The only point, so far
as can see" continued the electrician,
''is to SO improve upon this idiophonic
character Of the human body as not only
to produce musical sounds, but, as III the
recen. developments with the telephone,
to produce audible speech. ! have no
doubt that this will be done at some fu-
ture day, but before that time the identity
between the electrical and the nervous
force must be fully established.