The Washington bee., 1893-08-05
MUSIC AS A MEDICINE.
IT'S POWER EFFECTUAL IN REMEDY
ING NERVOUS DISORDERS.

Patients at Randalrs Island, Under the
Influence of Music, Show Various
Changes of Medical Condition
Medical Musical Society Interested.
Several New York medical men are
investigating music as an auxiliary in
the treatment and management of GER
tain nervous complaints, and one of
them, Sebastian ]. WINNER, President
Of the Medical Musical Society, has
gone SO far as to suggest a place for
1.-The soothing language in the materia
medica because, he says, it is a remedy
for such complaints as neurasthenla,
insomnia and nervous proStration. DIR.
WINNER can explain the action OF
music on the human body scientifically,
and he is able to demonstrate its pow
er on the development and funcuonal
play of the moral and intellectual
faculties.
His conclusions are as follows: o.
That there is a music which has a Spe-
cial action on the Intelligence and on
the motor nerves. (2) That there is a
music which influences particularly
the nerves Of sensibility and the Sent1-
ments. 81 That there is a music
which acts all at once on the motor
nerves and on the sensitive nerves, on
the intelligence and on the sentiments.
He further believes that between the
effects of music and those of the all
ments which modify the nervous sys-
TEN there are such analogies that the
laws which regulate the one and the
other may be arranged in the same
terms.
Slow, monotonouS music, explains
DT. WINNER, provided it is not too
sluggish, has calming influence over
the individual, because it is then in
harmony with the nerve habit of the
person who listens. 1t is essential TO
the ultimate success Of any endeaVOr
to bring the brain under control that
the music should first arrest the atten-
ton either by its power or sweetness,
and then gradually conduct the organ
Ism into harmony with itself. Unless
a measured cadence begins with a
powerful appeal to the brain in a key
which accOrdS with that in which the
cerebrum is at the moment itself work
ing a negative result will enSue, and
instead of allaying irritation the irri-
tation is more likely to be augmented.
To arouse the spirits by music plain
tive sound is required, and this must
be in the key of melancholy which
blends in harmony with the brain
state of the patient
Some curious experiments were made
among the insane patients at Ran
dall's Island the other day. Four hum
dred women We're congregated in the
entertainment hall of the institution
0r7 n 1lhl tod 70 7r-oSr Of rto
music for half an hour The general
effects We're noted as follows: The
pulse was raised, the patients became
! restless and there was marked de-
/ sire to keep time with the music
! Every patient was susceptible to the
J rhythm, and its effect was decidedly
stimulating Melody without any very
! decided or certain tempo was without
effect except in those cases where the
/ force Of association was still active.
+ In a case of chronic melancholia the
/ playing of Home, Sweet Home" in
/ variably brought the patient to her
/ knees, where she began to recite the
/ Lords Prayer in an apparent ecstasy
! Of devotion. In another case-one Of
| acute mania-the patients pulse was
| elevated from rs to 106 beats, the pa
| tlent not showing any other signs of
/ eXcitatiOn save the involuntary tWitch-
ing Of the facial muscles Cantabile
music seemed to have an effect in the
worst cases similar to that which it
sexercises upon certain animals, the
fperson being disposed to lie down and
go to sleep under its influence
The results Of all these experiments
kWere markedly beneficial. Many of
1.-THE patients showed great improve
Ement. The effects in almost every in
EStance of the pronounced rhythm were
tinyoluntary, the movements of the
Slimbs and facial muscles being attri-
Ebuted to reflex action
4 Whether or not music deserves to
Ehave an official place in the materfa
Emedica as a medicine, it certainly
Fstamps itself upon the sensitive nerve
korganism Of the individual, refreshing
tand stimulating it. and thus paving the
Sway to modifying the effects of many
hcomplaints.