Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-04
THE PHONOGRAPH IN MEDICINE.
An Eastern Physician Comments on the
Many Uses to Which II May be Put.

From the Medical Record
Although some ten years have elapsed since
Mr. Thomas A. Edison startled the world by in
venting machine that stored up sound and re-
produced it at will, it is only within the past
few months that this wonderful invention has
been brought to such degree of perfection as
makes it of practical utility to the public at
large. Some time has passed since began TO
investigate the practicahility of this machine
so as to give to the medical world better and
more certain means of teaching, recording,
reproducing and demonstrating the physical
signs or sounds of the normal as well as the
diseased condition of the heart and lungs. At
this early stage of my experiments | must say
that predict great future for il and the
opening of a new field for investigation in ply
! steal diagnosis and teaching
III is n very extraordinary fact that. while the
deepest tone that our ears are capable of recog-
nlZlng Is one containing sixteen vibrations
second. the photograph will record ten vibra-
lions or Tess ana 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 and
then reproduced by lowering the pitch until
we actually hear the record OF these inaudible
puloatlons. From what observations / have
already practically made am satisfied that the
monograph has great future. and has opened
up an entire new field of investigation in that
line. The method which [ adopted in making
THESE experimental physical examinations by
the phonograph was carried out in the follow
ing manner:
The photograph was placed on suitable
table before me; a tube III the shape of the
deaf conversation tube was then attached to
the recording cylinder of the phOnogra phi: the
other end was placed on that part of the chest
which was to be explored; then the monograph
was set IN motion before placing the tube in
contact with the chest In order to register or
record upon the wax cylinder that part of the
chest which was intended to be examined il
was found necessary, either before or directly
after examining any part to register by its
anatomical name that part of the chest. This
was done by speaking into the phonOgraph. so
as TO be able, in reproducing. to distinguish
those physical sounds found in one part from
the other.
For example, if l intend to examine the
supraclavcuar region | speak into the pho
nOgraph while in motion. before placing tn e
tube on the chest: ''Supracayicuar region"
BY so doing these words were 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 and lungs. 1t will be found advan-
tageous to allow the cylinder to make a num-
Der of revolutions before removing the tube to
another part, in order that more than one re-
spiratorv heart-sound might be registered This
Is also to be carried out on examining the
heart-sounds.
When had finished with my examination
returned back the reproduccr. so as to repeat
that which was registered during the examine
ton. The phOnograph was now set in motion;
direct attached stethoscOpe was applied to
my ears from the phonOgraph. All the sounds
were heard in their varied pitch and tone as
they came along with perfect clearness Tho
words and sentences that had spoken into it
for the purpose of recording the landmarks
were all reproduced.
With some extra experimenting l was able to
apply the use of the phonogroph in such
manner as to throw the physical sounds. which
had been previously registered upon one of
these wax cylinders, into the auditorium and
thereby teach directly a larger class. 1t is
further possible to construct a physical sign
cabinet which has all registered cylinders
representing the different diseases of the lungs
and heart When one wishes to study anv of
the sounds of the heart or lungs he can pick
ont of his cabinet the cylinder which has reg
istered upon it such physical sounds Various
other uses for which the phonograph is now
fully ripe might be mentioned. but i am not
ready to give memoranda of these.