The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-01-13
THE RHINosocoPE.
now THE INVENTION woRKs--A MAN
CAN ExTEMPoRIzE AN EYE ON THE
END OF HIS NOSE,
ITo tho Editor Of the c Couricr-Journal..I

ITO the Editor Of the Courier -Jonrnal.l
Cloutierville, La, Jan. IAN
opinion prevails, so | learn. that my
recent invention of the rhinoscope has
been patented. | write in order to
say that such is not the case. SO that
those who wish to avail themselves OF
its use can do SO without paying a
royalty. write, also, that correct
idea of the invention and its nse may
bc rendered more public.
When ! was but a country lad, run
ming barefoot, the germ of this inven-
tion was conceived. What" said
to my companions, Iii | only had an
eye on the end of my big toe, what
night not sce?" a'
This idea grew with me as / ad-
yaneed in age, and shaped itself in
this wise: "How, if an artificial eve
could be so constructed as to carry
visual impressions to the brain, could
| not make the blind see?"
The camera obscura made upon
small scale seemed at once to be the
instrument which would bring the
image of the object to the proper fo-
cal distance. THIS image, as in the
photographers camera, falling upon a
sensitive surface, would convey to the
brain tho visual impression. Accord
ingiy, l took one Of the tubes of an
opera-glas., and arranging the lenses
so as to take in objects close at hand,
| had ready the camera obscura /
needed. All that was new wanting
was the sensitive surface, on which
the image conveyed through the tube
(thc artificial eye should fall. This
surface must We connected with nerves
communicating to the brain SO that
the image s.,ould be carried to the
brain, Just a. he optic never conveys
the visual image through the retina.
In other words, it was necessary to
prepare an artificial retina.
The retina Of the optic nerve is it.
self inaccessible, being inclosed be-
hind by the integuments Of the eye,
both in its normal and abnomam con
dition. pi 'hf. io.n
Eureka! Recent discoveries show
that sound may be conveyed to the
brain through the nerves Of the teeth,
resulting in the invention Of the aud
iphone or the dentophone both words
being etymologically incorrectly, by
means Of which the deaf hear. On the
same principle luminous impressions
may be conveyed to the brain by
nerves contiguous to the optic nerves.
II j but create a sensitive artificial
retina at the termination Of such con
tiguous nerves to receive the lumi.
nous impression to receive the image
of my artificial eye, vision is the result.
A man hit upon the nose sees stars.
Eurekal Eurekal 1q
Connected with the optic gsnglia of
the brain are the tuJercula quad
ragemini, two nervous bodies, whose
especial physiological purpose is to re-
ceive visual impressions. ultimately
associated with these are nerves which
are sent out from the brain, and which
are spread out upon the conjunctiva Of
the eye and the surrounding integu-
ment, especially upon the end of the
nose.
Placing some blistering collodion
upon the tip end Of my nose, after
some hours ofweary waiting 1 raised a
blister. The end of my nose was
thus rendered exceedingly sensitive.
/ now took my prepared opera tube
(,ny artificial eye), and holding it in
front Of my nose allowed the image Of
objects before me, which passed
through the tube, to fall upon the sen
sitive end Of my nose, and behold, /
could see. and thus l constructed the
rhinosocope
STwyN GHYwR JoRsCHK, Nj. ID.