The Washington bee., 1893-08-12
MUSIC AS A MEDICINE.
ITS POWER EFFECTUAL IN REMEDY
ING NERVOUS DISORDERS.

! Patients at Randalrs Island, Under the
Influence of Music, Show Various
Changes of Medical Condition The
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 J. WINNER, President
of the Medical Musical Society, has
gone so far as to suggest a place for
the soothing language" in the materia
medica because, he says, it is remedy
for such complaints as neuraSthenla,
insomnia and nervous prOStratlon. Dr.
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 functional
play of the moral and intellectual
faculties.
His conclusions are as follows: %
That there is a music which has a spe-
cial action on the intelligence and on
the motor nerves. g) That there is q
music which influences particularly
the nerves of sensibility and the senti-
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
DIR. WINNER, provided it is not too
sluggish, has a 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 key
which accordS with that in which the
cerebrum is at the moment itself work
ing 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 hun
dred women were congregated in the
entertainment hall Of the institution
and subjected to a strain of piano
music for half an hour. The general
effects were 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
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 IS to 106 beats, the pa
tient 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
exercises upon certain animals, the
person being disposed to lie down and
go to sleep under it's influence.
The results Of all these experiments
were markedly beneficial. Many of
the patients showed great improve
ment. The effects in almost every in
stance of the pronounced rhythm were
involuntary, the movements of the
limbs and facial muscles being attTi-
buted to reflex action.
Whether or not music deserves to
have an official place in the materia
medica as a medicine, it certainly
stamps itself upon the sensitive nerve
organism of the individual, refreshing
and stimulating it, and thus paving the
way to modifying the effects of many
complaints.