The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-03
USES OF PHONOGRAPHS.
MANY CHANGES MADE IN THE SEN
SlTIVE INSTRUMENT.
1t Is Being Used as an Aid in Medicine,
in the Learning of Languages and In
Elocution-An Interview with q Physi-
clan Who Has Studied Them.

DR.. J. Mount Bleyer, of this city, has
been making a collection of voices for
nearly five years, and he has now fully
five hundred specimens, which can be
heard at any time by putting them in his
phonograph and setting the machine in
motion. DR.. Bleyer makes speciality in
diseases of the throat, lungs and respir-
atory organs, and his use of the phono-
graph and micro-graphophone have been
made solely for the purpose of ascertaining
the practical value of these inventions in
regard to medical and other sciences.
The voices ere all taken on wax cylin-
ders. five inches long by three in diameter.
Few people have any idea," DR.. Bleyer
said to a reporter the other day, "of the
wonderful changes that have been made in
the phonograph since it first came out from
the workshop of Mr.. Edison. The instru-
ment has now been so perfected that it is
capable of faithfully representing every
word, syllable, vowel, consonant, aspirant,
or indeed sounds of any kind.
"a curious feature of the modern phono-
graph is the difference made in the kew of
the voice by an increase or decrease in the
velocity of the cylinder. If the latter is
turned as fast in transmitting the voice as
it is in receiving, the sound is reproduced
with almost mathematical fidelity. If,
however, the cylinder is turned more slow
ly, the voice is reproduced in much lower
tone. So, on the other hand, if the mechan-
ism is moved more rapidly, the voice is re-
produced in much higher key. This
curious fact enables person to hear HIM
self speak as if he had been endowed with
different vocal organs.
"a contralto, for example, who sings a
song into the apparatus in her usual style
may hear it reproduced as she gave it, or,
by changing the speed of the motor, as a
soprano mezzo soprano, high treble, or, on
the other hand, as a baritone, basso, or
even basso profundo. Of course there is a
change in the time corresponding with the
change in the key. The high treble sings
so rapidly as TO CRATE upon the ear, while
the basso vocalizes so slowly as to suggest
somnolent fatigue. Strange to say, the
quality of voice which the French call tim
bre remains unchanged, no matter what
time is employed.
IN MEDICINE.
But it is in medical science that the
phonograph is destined TO exert greater
influence. Its value in this branch is
barely beginning to be appreciated. For
some years | have occupied myself ia
studying the uses to which this machine
might be put in the medical as well as in
other sciences, and / can safely say that
already in the present stage OF its con-
struction the phonograph can be made
to record many of the symptoms usual in
diseases of the respiratory organs, in both |
normal and abnormal states. For in |
stance, the voice of singers with a good /!
voice may be recorded and kept for COM |
parison, in case Of any ailment, making
the normal record a standard
''Phopograms OF tenors, baritones and 4
bassos may be preserved, the voices studied I
as to the different shades Of tone and qual- !
fly, and be found of value in clinical, as 1
well as in other demonstrs tons Good 4
records of specimen patients, illustrating a 4
certain cough, such as the W hoop or whoop- /
ing cough, asthmatic cough, bronchitis, K
stenosis of the larynx, and in Group and 4
diphtheria would be Of great benefit, par
ticularly in cases of diphtheria and Group
where the stenosis is marked
"a standard OF operation might De select
ed, and The students, listening through
cylinder, receive the impression the-efrom
as toabout the correct time when operative
interference becomes necessary. With the
aid OF such practical demonstration in the
lecture rooms of our colleges. am certain
that our students would gain more from
one lecture than from two dozen Of the or
dinary and prevailing ones
Only too frequently, when we wish 20
some particular clinical case
to our students with view TO illustrating
certain points Of interest therein, proper
subject cannot be found, and words most
feehly take the place Of facts Now, if good
records Of clinical cases IN ones private or
hospital experience could be taken and
kept. then living examples would always
be in readiness and could be presented IN
the various stages OF the case
DR.. Bleyer incidsutly remarked that he
thought the~e photographic Patients
would soon be placed IN one or more Of the
medical colleges. He himself has large
collection Of cylinders illustrating the dIf-
ierent forms Of lung and throat diseases,
Children Cry for Pitchers Castoria