Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-23
QUEER CAsEOF VIBRATION.
sisguIar Fleet Upon the n uman Body
or q Great Materially

For msuy yesrs it has been we'll known
when a body Of troops crosses bridge the
step must re broken, othtrwiss the regular
tread o such a heavy weight OF IN vi |
brow the structure into vibration 70 violent
as 10 endsuger lie sanding. Il is slso we'll
knowa, though il has not been fully estab-
llshed until recent years, that large buildings
hsve their keynote and that fac ories stand
ing near dams hsve been put into sueh vIbra-
ton by the quiVeTiug Of the falling water
that they have seemed in actu Al danger OF
destruction 70 violent has been the oscils'
tory motion When The water has subsidized
the motion has ceased. The explanatiou is
that the particular volume and velocity Of
the water struck the keynote Of The building
and set it in symps' hetic vibration. 1t has
been held by some that there is particular
key TO the sounds of nature, and the hum Of
civ streets has even been fixed by some upon
the key OF F.
So nucu by way Of preliminary is necss-
safy to 3 ready underst andins Of the remark
abe story narrated below. During one OF
the numerous foods which occurred in the
course of the recent protrscted droulh in
Mort hern New HampshiTe and Vermont, one
of the waichmen of q large factory near a
high hesd Of water went up TO tbs cupola 10
get good view oil The rising lresbet. h
was an unu,uslly firmly built man, young,
elastic and vigorous. In stature he was five
feet ten inches 10 his stockings, and his
weight was $50 pounds-just the length and
weight to vibrate 10 the key of G. II was
late in the afternoon, but not time for him 10
go on duty for the night His sleep in the
forenoon had been disturbed, and 30, after
watching The water for time and becoming
satisfied that there was no immediate danger,
he l,on,zI ir,to nj ali nj oh inc
few minutes was sound asleep.
But while he slept the water rose. 1t was
about eighteen inches deep on the dam, and
the broad sheet that poured down wss in a
visible culver from cad 10 end from its own
vibration and that OF The volume of air be-
hind it. 1t was just the vibration 10 strike
the keynote of the factory. A tremor bsgan
TO be felt even to the foundation. In the
fourth story it was dissgresab!y strong, and
in the cupola was even violent. 1t awoke
the Waterman, and he found himself already
under its influence In every part of his
body he felt the peculiar motion. A numb.
ness and lack Of power 10 control his muscles
overcsme him. He knew not the fatal in
huenCe which seemed to hold him resist
lessly, but the truth was that his key note
was exactly the ssms AS that of the factory,
and his closely knit body was vibrating 10 ,uy
No sound Was yet audible from the vibration,
but as the tremor became stronger it seiz d
upon his vocal cords and set them in moIop.
Frightened and desperate, be made de-
ermlDed effort TO free himself He struggled
TO rise from his ch air, but could not com
10 and his muscles. He opened his mouth TO
scresm, but emitted, instead, prolonged
sonorous note OF his fund smsntal pitch. This
sealed his doom. 1t was fatal error caused
by his lack of scientific knowledge and fore.
thought. Up to tbis time the vibration b sd
| seized upon his vocsl organs only, bu. this
| strong note, added to the quiverIpg of the
| mill, which was OF itself on the point Of
| taking entire possession Of him, threw his
| whole body into vibration, violent and IN
| controilsbl His vocal cords would DC
| longer emit any sound whatever. His Who'll,
body began to hun; like the hot bars OF sing
| ing silver explained in recent Lowell In
| sliIute lecture, the entire man vi5rated so in
| tensaly aud rapidly as 10 make singing
sound, and his voice was Incapable Of sepa
rate action. His fingers trembled so tina
| they had an uncertain boundary, like tn,
edge OF buzz saw. His head quiv
cred violently His feet we're not e
be clearly seen. The inevitable conse
| quences followed. Human flesh could no
| endure the strain. Ii broke at the ends o
the fiugers; blood oczed out. The nose aus
ear-iips became bloodshot The encasinl
boots were not s,rong enough to support tn
feet. Gradually all the extremities btcam
| frsyed out, like flag Tapping in gale
The larger blood ves-es were in turn exposed
and rupIured. With the increasing loss o
blood, and utterly helpless 10 move or I,
cry, the poor Waterman saccumbed to hi
fate. He fell upon the floor and, welt rim
in pool OF blood, gr,dualy los, conscious
mesa. Life csud not long remain auc
though the food subsided within Two hour
SO that vibration ceased, yet relief came TO
late. The unfortunate man was found des
the next morning, and no one at the tim
could explain The cause. TIE coroner. jur
returned verdict that he came &c his deaf
by causes TO them unknown.
II any moral is 10 be drawn from thi
hitherto unknown cslsmity, it is the DANCE
of singing too much in one key, and if any
thing can teach the moral with vivid forc'
"exoerientia does it,"