The southern argus. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kan.) 1891-1???, 1892-02-04
A NOVEL MEDICINE.
Tbs Soothing and Sedative Influence Of
Music.

Music.
The papers state that a society has
been organized i'm London for the pur-
pose Of visiting sick people in the hos
pitfalls and giving them both vocal and
instrumental music for their physical
and mental improvement Further.
more, that the British Medical Jour.
nal which has always been rated as a
conservative publication, speaks words
of praise in favor of the society. Ac-
cording to the press, this medical jour
nal even suggests that music may take
the place of morphine and choral In
qGieting nervous patients. In one in
stance this society visited patients
when suffering from insomnia or loss
of sleep. A lullaby was sung, and
they all went off in a dose.
The physician who supervised
the musical treatment found
it difficult to keep awake. Reports Of
these experiments reaching this coun-
try, some of our old-school men with
characteristic prejudices and bigotry
cry "Bosh." They are disposed to
pooh pooh at the whole business. Dr.
Shrady is quoted as saying: The idea
of music serving as therapeutic agent
is absurd" but at the same time admits
that 1T may be introduced among a
certain class Of patients with admirable
results" This admission alone is suf-
fcent to commend music as q thera-
peutic agent, that is to say. il it can be
proved that music does in some cases
produce the effects desired. There is
no one remedy that will cure every
thing or everybody. Old-school men
admit this when talking Of patent
medicines or any other alleged specific
There is one FACTOR which always has
to be considered and conserved in the
treatment Of any case, and that is the
constitution or idiosyncracy Of the pa
tient. 1t is for this reason that there
can be no one specific with which to
treat every disease. 1t is for this rea-
son we can have no routine in medi-
cine. 1t is because of this fact that
physician must be something more
than a student or a well-read man.
Often the physician must be a genius
or he will not succeed. He must know
more than he can be taught in any med
zeal college, or at least, he must have
the capacity which can not be obtained
by mere study. There is no doubt
but music can be utilized as
a therapeutic agent, and that
in many cases, it may take
the place of morphia and chloral.
Tt has been said by some Of the critics
who are disposed to ridicule the musical
suggestion, that music has sometimes
been tried in insane wards when it has
simply exasperated the patients. They
became almost unmanageable. Well,
is it not well recognized fact that
makes some people almost
crazy? There are constitutions that
will not bear morphia- Every thing
that may be used TO alleviate human
suffering should be brought to the front
by the profession. If there be any
thing which will relieve one person or
any class of sufferers, let it be utilized
in those cases wherein it may be bene-
ticially used, and that brings us logical
ly to say that color cure, mind
cure, Christian science, mesmerism, and
. great variety Of other pathies and
SINS all have their value if physician
can be broad enough and intuitive
enough to discover wherein any espe-
cial method may be advantageously /
employed. It will hardly do to pooh |
pooh at anything. There is more dan
ger Of people turning their backs upon
some valuable discovery than there is
n their being humbugged. and there is
more danger of being humbugged BY
'o-called regulars" than by those who
IRE credulous enough to "prove eli
Kings and hold fast that which is
rood. Foote's Health Monthly.