The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-01-30
MEDICAL NNETOScOFES.
Recent Uses Of the Invention In the etooJ
Of Disease.


Recent Uses Of the Invention In the STUDY
Of Disease.
The invention of the klnetoscope,
which is attracting large amount
of D0pular interest, resembles some
of Mr.. Edison's other inventions in
being really an improvement On or
an adaptation of discoveries Of other
men. This in no way implies that
the fame of the American inventor
is undeservcd. On the contrary, 1t
is due to his genius that nero expert
monts of scientists have been con-
verified into things of real and lasting
benefit to civilization Sir Hunphry
Davy discovered that carbon could
be rendered incan0escent in q cur
rent of electricity, and that oxygen
consumed the carbon, but it remain
cd for Edison to exclude tho oxygen
and to give the electric light to civil
zation. The main essentials of the
monograph we're in use before Edl-
son conceived the idea of making q
practical use of the machine. Tho
Muybridge photographs were tho
forcrunners of the kaleidoscope.
1t has been proclaimed that the
time is now at hand when BOOKS ana
tbesters will become rarities, and
the average citizen will be content
to use the monograph and the klnot-
oscope for his pleasure, Such /" pre-
tliction is oyersanguine us yet for
the reason that these inventions are
not yet perfect. The beauty OF con-
certed music or of rare singing Is
still married by the electric whir and
the false sounds that issue from the
monograph S diaphragm. The splen-
did color and dazzling luster of tho
opera g stage are as yet beyond the
grasp of the kinctoscope. Perhaps
these things may come some day,
but they have not como yet, and in
the meantime tho present generation
is concerned chiefly with the things
of today. The telephone, for in
stance, is of more Immediate use to
civilization than are the monograph
and kaleidoscope combined.
Science has already found certain
uses for Mr.. Edison's later inven-
lions, however. The monograph
eounterfeits permanently many
sounds that are useful to therapeu-
tics-the normal and unsound heart
beats, "rales'' in the lungs, certain
vocal sounds depending upon special
conditions of the throat or tonsils.
It Is of decided benefit to science to
have permanent records that can al
ways BIO of easy access without re-
course to o special patient. In the
same way the kaleidoscope promises
to be of great utility to medical
science by reproducing physical ac-
ton that can DO studied in detail or
comprehonsively, as tho student de-
sires. In this city some effort i'll that
direction has already been undor-
taken, and more will be developed
from timo to time, especially in merry
Gus disorders that bring on certain
physical action that is often SO yio-
ient and vigorous as to battle any at
tempt at close study by means Of tho
unaided eye.
The Muybridgo photographs show
cd some years ago that tho eye YVES
unreliable for tho detection Of the
absolute details of rapid animal mo-
ton. Instantaneous photography
alone gives correct representation
Of the different attitudes taken by
mon or animals in rapid action, and
It is quite possible that medical
science may achieve fresh discover
les by the help of the kinetoscopo.
Thus, In studying the muscular &C
ton that results from certain nerve
disorders, it may be possible to trace
tho nerves which IRE affected. Even
in less complicated cases, like lame
ness, n surgeon may be able to reach
conclusions with greater quickness
and certainty by securing the details
of muscular action of the affected
limb, rs the speed of the kaleidoscope
may be regulated at will. Alto
gethor, then, while tho reproduction
of grand opera for the multitude
may be q matter of the remote fu
ture, tho kaleidoscope is something
Of moro use to civilization than a
mere pictorial toy.-Boston Adver-
tiSer.