Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-28
JOY FOR THE DEAF.
A st. Louisan Invents Something that
viii Enable the Deaf to Hear.


Mr.. Leo Ehrlich, former Secretary of the
Humane Society, says the st. Louis Re
publican, has invented a device which
will cause all the Geat people In the
land to rise up and call him blessed. 1t
consists Of eontriVance which can be
located in the handle of a cane, umbrella,
parasol or fan, and which when placed to
the ear Of deaf person win cause him
or her to hear any sound audible to the
ear Of person who is not afflicted with
deafness. Mr.. Ehrlich yesterday exhibited
to Republican reporter a cane with
silver head representing the head of a
bird. The bill was placed in the reportorial
ear and sound similar to the roaring of
a sea shell was heard, while when the re-
porter spoke his voice appeared to be a
deep bass. The device which produced
these effects was tube about six inches
long placed in the hollow of a Malacca
cane. In the tube was a OOne-shaped
electric coil beginning at small battery
at the lower end OF the tube and terminal
ing in the BIRDS bill. The vibration of
this coil caused a multiplication Of any
sound or noise passing into the tube
through several slits in the side of the
cane. The cane and tube together weighed
about six ounces, and the whole outfit
looked like an ordinary Malacca walking
stick with a silver head.
''How did happen to invent itY'' said
Mr.. Ehrlich, in reply to a question.
"Nell, 1t was the necessity of my own
case. was so deaf that il interfered
with my social and business duties.
had been treated for my ailment in Paris.
Vienna and in this country, and still 1
grew worse, so / set about to invent some
thing that would cure me and the results
surprised me. l can now hear as well as
you can and without the use ofthe cane. 1t
is very simple; it is simply multiplica-
tion of sound by electricity and the pro-
lection Of steady current of electricity
against the weakened or paralyzed nerves
ana tissues or the ear. There is no degree
of deafness in which a man cannot hear
with this; even if the ear drum is de- |
stroyed; of course it won't make a new |
ear-drum, but it will make him hear. 1t |
is simply a multiplication table IN the |
shape of sound. Here is one Of the |
features of it: When a man is near |
sighted he can get pair of glasses and |
no one takes any notice of it: but when n |
man is deaf he must either lug an ear |
trumpet around with him. much to the |
amusement of everybody, or hear nothing. |
This thing he carries in q cane or UNI |
brella, and not only uses it without any, |
one suspecting what it is, but hears we'll |
and is cured of his deafness. 1t accom- |
plishes what nothing else has ever done. |
Il. G. Witherspoon of the Cotton Ex-
change, who has not heard dog bark TOR
the past twenty-three years, can hear as
well as anybody now. He was made deaf |
by the accidental discharge of a piece of |
artillery. His friends on 'Change are as
tonished at the readiness with which he /
hears now. / have been at work at this
over year, and when began everybody |
had to yell close to my ear; now / can
hear the slightest whisper at talking dis
tance. When Senator Vest was here he
advised me to send one to Mr.. Bayard, |
who is quite deaf, and / shall do so. / /
will also send one to Mr.. Edison, who is
deaf"
Mr.. Ehrlich received notice yesterday
that his application for patent had been
allowed.