The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-28
THE KINETUDCOPE.
Reoont Uses OF tho invention In
tho Study Of Disc ase.
Edison's Part In tho Perfection OF tho WON.
dortnl Machino-Whot May he 40.
complishcd by Ills Othor
Inventions.

Tho invention Of tho kinctoacone.
which Is at present attracting q large
amount OF popular interest, resembles
some OF Mr.. Edisons Inventions in boiny
really an Improvement on or IN udaptn-
Tion OF discoveries OF other men. This
IN no way implies that tho fame of tho
American inventor IL undoscrved. On
the contrary, It is duo to his genius
that mere experiments Of scientists
have been converted into things Of real
and lasting bencht to civi.iznt:on Sir
Humphrey Davy discovered THAI car
bon could be rendered incantlc;ccnt in
current OF electricity, ana that oxygcl
consumed tho carbon; but it remained
for Edison to exclude oxygen and TO
give tho electric light to civilization.
Tho main essentials Of the phonograph
wcro In use briorc Edison conceived
tho Idea Of ma!lin:, rraytcul use OF
tho machine. The Muy bridge photo-
graphs were the forcrunncrs Of tho
kaleidoscope
1t hos boon proclaimed, says tho Boa-
ton Advertiser, that the time is now nt
hand when books and thcatcrs will be-
come rnritics, md the average citizen
will be content to use the phonorrarh
and tho kaleidoscope for his pleasure.
Such II prediction Is ovcr-sanGuinc, n3
! yet, for the reason that thcso invcH-
tions arc not yet perfect. The beauty
| OF concerted music or Of rarc singing is
still marred by tho electric whir and
tho falso sounds thnt issue from tho
monographs diaphragm. The splcn-
did color aud dazzling lustcr Of tho
operas stage are yot beyond tho grasp
OF tho kaleidoscope. Perhaps thcso
things may como Some day, but they
have not come yet, and In the meantime
| the present generation Is concerned
| chiefly with the thing. OF to-day. Tho
telephone, for instance, Il Of more inn
mediate use to civilization than nro
| tho phonograph and Kaleidoscope coul-
| binod.
Science has already found certain
usos for Mr.. Edison', later inventions,
however. The phonogrnph counter
fcits permanently many sounds that
arc useful to therapeutics; the normal
and unsounl hcurtbcaLS, "ralcS" in tho
lungs, certain vocal sounds depending
upon special conditions Of tho throat
| and tonsils. 1t is OF decided benefit TO
| science to have permanent records that
| oan always be Of easy access without
| recourse to q special patient. In tho
same way the ltinctoscopc promisra TO
be OF great utility to medical science by
Reproducing physical action that can
be studied in detail or comprchcnsivcly
Us the student desires. In this city
some effort In that direction has already
| boon undertaken, and moro will be de-
| vclOped from time to time, especially in
| nervous disorders that bring on certain
! physical action that is often SO violent
and vigorous rs to battle any ayi tempt at
close study by means of the unlidcd
! eye.
\IThe Muybridge photographs showed
some years ago thut the eye was unrc-
liable for the Of the absolute
details Of rapid nniiliilrtl motion. In
stantaneous photography nlono F!vCs .
| correct representation of tho different
attitudoB taken by men or uni.....la in
rapid action, and it is quite possible
that medical science may achieve frcsl,
discoveries by the help Of the lsineto-
scope. Thus, In studying the muscular
action that results from certain nerve
disorders, it may be possible to truce
tho nerves which are Infected. Even In
less complicated cases, lilre lnmeness, n
surgeon may be able to reach conclus-
ions with great Quickncss and certainty
by securing the details Of muscular
cotton OF tho affected limb, "a the speed
OF tho kaleidoscope may be regulated Mt
VIII. AltogetIler, then, while the repro
duotion Of grand opera for the multi
tude may Do matter OF tho remote
future, the Kaleidoscope Is something Of
moro use to civilization than Il nero
I Dfotorial t<,v