Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-06-13
Aurists and the Telephone.

Aurists and the Telephone.
h Many advanced aurists are now in
vestigating the effect of mechanical
and electrical vibrations in curing
deafness and various diseases of the
ear. A prominent New York practi-
toner has invented an instrument
Which gives sustained note Of reed
like quality over several octaves of
the scale. Close to the instrument is
telephone transmitter, through which
the sound passes to receiver at the
ear of the patient. The exact pitch at
Which the ear is found to exhibit alb
normal symptoms is first ascertained,
and then the corresponding note on
the instrument is started, and the con-
centrated vibrations are allowed to
play on the drum of the patient for q
specified time every day. Another
leading aurist is experimenting on the
effects of various kinds of electrical
vibrations in the treatment of ear af-
fections, and some promising results
nave been obtained. Whatever may
be the outcome of these valuable in
vestigations, it is certain that ordinary
telephone conversation is heard much
better by some people than by others,
even when there is no manifest SUI
periority of the organs of hearing. An
electrical journal illustrates this pecu-
liarity amusingly by relating the ex-
perience of the salesman of an cleo
trical supply house in an Indiana
town. The salesman was showing a
pair of improved telephones, which
had been installed for exhibition pur-
poses, and a number of citizens pres
ent were pleased and surprised at the
loud talking of the instruments. One
of the citizens had been almost deaf
for many years, and more as joke
than with any idea of a test the rest
shouted into his ear the suggestion
that he should try the telephone. AS
the men put the receiver to his ear his
face assumed an expression of mingled
establishment and delight. He could
carry on q conversation with the other
end of the line without any apparent
difficulty. Overlooking with gratitude,
he promptly treated the crowd, and he
entertained the salesman royalty for
the rest of his stay in the town.
The. New Treatment for Sunstroke.
An interesting electric plant has
been installed in the sunstroke ward
Of a New York hospital. The old
treatment for sunstroke included
warming drinks, and hot applications
10 the body, with a view OF drawing
.he heat from the head. Now the
patient is immersed in very cold wa
nj o1,
temperature abates. The new appar-
.tus for transferring the patient to the
bath is worked entirely by electricity.
A hammock suspended by chains is
Covered and receives the patient, who
IS gently slid in from the stretcher.
A turn of the motor wheel lifts him,
and he is carried smoothly along to a
bath filled with iced water. Into this
he is lowered by the machinery until
only the face remains above water.
Ice is packed around his head, and he
is left until his temperature has low
cred to the desired point. The ma
chinery then quietly lifts him and
transfers him to pallet at the side of
the room. This method of handling
not only causes less Earring to the pa
tient than any other, but it saves the
doctors and nurses much exhaustive
work, particularly in the case Of
heavy patients. 1t is interesting to
note, as showing that the medical pro-
fession is alive to the mechanical as
well as the therapeutic advantages OF
electricity, that this apparatus was
designed by DR.. Lewis \. Stinson. the
attending surgeon at the hospital.
An Electric Gold-Dredge Plant.
An interesting account has been re-
ceived of the application Of water
power in producing electricity for use
in gold dredging in Shotover river
New Zealand. The water is obtained