The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-30

Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb De-
olares Over His Own Signature His
Belief in It's Powers-He Invites Ex-
pertinent.
(Copyright)
New York, Dec. 29-There is no man in
America. if in the world, better able
from experience and research to sneak con-
corning the work of the Improvement
of the condition of the deaf and dumb
than is Prof. Enoch Henry Currier. NJ. A,
the principal of the great New York In
stitution for the Instruction of the Deaf
and Dumb. This institution, which is in
large sense state affair, is rich, its
buildings are commodious and splendidly
planned, and. better than all, spirit of
liberality pervades its instructors and
board of directors, and this liberal spirit
has resulted in making it a pioneer in
the development Of methods for the bet
tering of the condition of the deaf and
dumb. From this institution it was that
the world first learned how an individual
born deaf and consequently dumb could
be taught to hear and speak, and now
comes another discovery promising to
be thu greatest of all Prof. Currier
openly asserts over his own signature
that he is willing that hypnotism shall
be given a full opportunity to demon
strate what can be done through its agen-
cy toward the relief of the mute. He de-
clares it to be his belief that wonders of
which the most enthusiastic investigator
has hardly dared to dream may be ac-
complished through the use of hypnotism,
and, bold and progressive student as he
is, is willing to afford every facility for
a skilled operator to experiment on the
line suggested.
Prof Currier almost took my breath
away, when, as I sat in his study at the
institute a few days ago looking out upon
the Hudson, he announced it to be his
belief that through the agencies of hyp-
notism man who has been deaf from the
day of his birth may be made to hear
distinctly.
THE prophet Of the Israelites spoke
truly" said Prof. Courier, when he pre-
dicted thousands of years ago the coming
Of the day when the eyes of the blind
shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall
be unstopped, the tongue of the dumb
shall be Embossed, and the lame made to
run and leap as an hart" My friend, this
day is at hand. 1t is already here. Grad
ually a force in nature-a force first
Knocked and ridiculed, next wondered at,
now studied and made useful-has been
accepted by science. And now is her
aided the news that through hypnotism
the latent senses are to be made healthy
and vigorous and the nerves which from
birth our ignorance has hitherto allowed
TO slumber in him who through some
defect in natures processes has been I'M
able to operate them, are to be made to
convey messages of the mind as the cleo
trio wires convey messages.
What Prof. CurrierH ! exclaimed.
do you mean to assert that you believe
that II is possible for the hypnotic OPP
orator to accomplish in few short weeks
the complete awakening of the sense of
sound when it has laid prone and useless
since birth?"
Il believe this to be absolutely possible"
answered Prof. Currier speaking slowly,
and with emphasis on each word. Fur
thermore, I believe we are about to see
it done. Let me show you what has al
ready been accomplished directly in the
same line"
Prof Currier rang a bell upon the desk
and sent a messenger for Mr.. Jones. a
few minuets later Mr.. Jones stood before
US.
You sent for me. sir?'' he said. The
question was asked in articulated Ian
guage
Yes" answered Prof. Currier, in the
sign language. I wish to show this gen
tleman that it is not impossible to give
10 one born a deaf mute the power of
hearing and articulation"
There were several musical instruments
hanging upon the walls of Prof. Curriers'
study. Taking down flute, he put it to
his lips and sounded several notes upon 1t.
do you hear?" he asked.
Yes" answered Mr.. Jones, ''it is the
music of the flute"
Now, for your satisfaction" said Prof.
Wi
this man so that he can receive no intelli-
gence as to the kind of instrument through
the observation of the eye" A bandage
was placed tightly about Mr.. Jones eyes.
] picked up a guitar and touched its
strings.
What music do you hear?" asked Prof.
Currier.
There was a smile on the features of
Mr.. Jones as he answered: 1T is the
music of the guitar
Well" said 1, after Mr.. Jones had re-
tired, this is all very interesting, but
what is II all about? You do not mean
to tell me that this man is under hypnotic
influences, do your.
Wait and hear"
This man, Mr.. Charles Jones, is now
40 years old. He was born deaf as
stone. For twenty-eight years no sound
ever reached his brain through the vibra-
lions Of the tympanum of the ear con-
Quoted by the delicate auditory nerves to
the mind. Deafness was accompanied, as
Is always the case in such instances, with
dumbness as well. Being unable to hear
and comprehend spoken language, the vo-
cal cords, which, as you wen know, are
nut the parrots Of the ear, were never able
10 form sounds into speech. Twelve years
ago we began operating upon this man
through the instrumentality of the audi
phone and the conical hearing tube. The
idea that through the agency of some such
instruments as these we could develop
the latent sensibihtles of the auditory
nerve until it became a useful and val
liable part of the system was an idea of
my own, and the instruments by which
We have wrought the results which have
demonstrated to you here were of my in
Vention.
The deafness of Mr.. Jones was what is
known to us as abolition of function, a
prenatal paralysis I shall call it, in order
that l may be readily understood, of the
auditory nerve. While the organs of the
unborn child were yet undergoing the pro-
cesses OF formation the inpinging of some
foreign SfIrgfanpa l,a fr.yl i