Evening journal., 1889-02-05
A Help TO PHYSICIANS.
Tho monograph Shown 10 BE OF Services
In Making Diagnosis.

The monograph Shown TO BE of Services
In Making Diagnosis.
Although some ten years have elapsed
since Mr.. Thomas A. Edison startled the
world by inventing a machine that stored
up sound and reproduced it at will, il rs
only within the past few months that this
wonderful invention has been brought 20
such degree Of perfection as makes it Of prac-
teal utility to the public at large Some
time has passed since began to investigate
the practicability of this machine, so as to
give TO the medical world a better and more
certain means of teaching, recording, repro
ducing and demonstrating tho physical signs
or sounds Of the normal as we'll as OF the dis
eased condition Of the heart and lungs.
At this early stage Of my experiments
must say that predict a great future for it,
and the opening Of new field for investiHa-
ton IN physical diagnosis and teaching
IL is a very extraordinary fact that, while
the deepest tone that our ears are capable OF
recognizing is one containing sixteen vibra-
tions a second, the monograph will record
ten vibrations or less, and can then raise the
pitch until we hear reproduction from them.
Similarly, vibrations above the highest rate
audible to the ear can be recorded on the
photograph qnd then reproduced by lower
ing the pitch until we actually hear the record
Of those inaudible pulsations
From what observations | have already
practically made, | am satisfied that the
photograph has great future, and has
opened up an entire new field Of investiga.
ton in that line.
The method which l adopted in making
these experimental physical examinations by
"A nh ind ont In IA fol
lowing manner:
The photograph was placed on a suitable
table before me; a tube in the shape Of the
deaf conversation tube was then attached to
the recording cylinder of the photograph;
the other end was placed on that part OF the
chest which was n be explored; then the
photograph was set~in motion before placing
the tube in contact with the chest In order
10 register or record upon the wax cylinder
that part of the chest which was intended to
DO examined, IL was found necessary, either
before or directly after examining any part
70 register by its anatomical name that part
Of the chest This was done by speaking into
the photograph so as to be able. in reproduc-
ing, 10 distinguish those physical sounds
found in one part from the other
For example, II | intend TO examine the
supraclayicular region speak into the pho
nograph while in motion, before placing tho
tube on the chest, "Supraclavicular region y
By SO doing these words we're directly regis
tered now place the tube on that part Of
the chest and examine slowly and thoroughly.
IN this way continued to explore the entire
heart end lungs 1t viii be found advan-
t6ge6cs q allow The cylinder to make q nrm-
Der Of revolutions before senQllpg the tube
to another part, in order that more than one
respiratory heart sound might be registered.
This is also 70 be carried out on examining
the heart sounds.
When was finished with my examination
returned back the reproducer, so as TO re-
peat that which was registered during the
examination. The photograph was nov set
Ia motion; a direct attached stethoscope was
applied to my ears from the photograph. All
the sounds were heard, in their varied pitch
and tone as they came along, with perfect
clearness. The words and sentences that
had spoken into IL, for the purpose OF record
ing the landmarks, were all reproduced.
With some extra experimenting | was able
to apply the use Of the photograph in such a
manner as to throw the physical sounds,
which had been previously registered upon
one Of these wax cylinders, into the auditori-
UNI, and thereby teach directly larger class.
1t is further possible 70 construct a physical
sign cabinet which has all registered cylinders
representing the different diseases Of the
lungs and heart. When one wishes TO study
any Of the sounds OF the heart or lungs he
can pick out Of bis cabinet that cylinder
which has registered upon it such physical
sounds
Various other uses for which the phono
graph is now fully ripe might be mentioned
but am not ready TO give memoranda o.
these. III Mount Bleyer, NJ D., in Medica
Record