The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-07
MUSIC IS BETTER
THAN MEDICINE
Facts About the Curative Properties Of
Harmonious Sounds.
SOME INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS
Music Sure to Play an Important Part
in the Medical Practice Of the
Future..What Has Already Been
Accomplished IN This Direction.
From Music.

From Music.
A great deal of attention has lately
been given to music as q therapeutic
agent. Indeed, the experiments in
this direction of scientists, physicians,
mesmerists and nondescripts of various
kinds are becoming somewhat conins-
ing. One experimenter has discovered
that music incites the action of the
heart and that this action influences
The circulation of the blood, causing 1t
TO coincide with the changes in the
breathing. Another says that the func-
tiOnal activity of the skin is powerfully
stimulated by music. while Prof. COZ
zolina of Naples recalls II demonstra-
ton given by Charcot at the Salpetrlere
of the benefit derived from music by
selected group of his patients, all SUI
fering from neuroses of varying de-
Yrees of intensity. That distinguished
Psychologist, Prof. Iarchanoff OF st.
Petersburg has found that IF the in-
gers are completely fatigued, eithe: by
voluntary effort or by electric eNci.a-
ton, music has the power of making
the fatigue disappear" very DOUBT
full experiment" seeing that the nm
gers of the pianist are quite as liable
to become fatigued as the fingers or
other people who seldom hear ID no:e
Of music.
Again, there are the interesting en-
periments of DR.. Warthin, of Nielnt,
in the way of hypnotizng patients ana
dosing them with music While Ill IL
state of trance. These experiments
seem to show pretty conclusiVcly mat
the man without music in his soul does
not really exist. The doctors supJects
were five men and two women VINO
were almost entirely unaffected by
music when in their normal state, Be
fore hypnotiZing them, DR.. Warthin
'suggested" to them the Will to pre-
serve their impressions after having
awakened. One of the subjects. aged
forty, had Wagner's "Walkuerenrltt
played to him. His pulse Immediately
became stronger and more rapid. The
tension was increased by 60 and the
heats advanced to 120. Simultaneously
the respiration rose from Is to 80 "a
minute; the face expressed great aGita-
tion and the whole body was covered
with a profuSe respiration. When
reused from the hypnotic state the sub
ject declared that he had not been sem
sible to the music as a sound, but only
as a general sensation, a sort of excite
ment like that produced by "a rapid
flight through space" DR.. Warthin
states that he has found nothing so ef-
fective as music in hypnotizinG refrac-
tory subjects. One such subject re-
maned insusceptible to everything but
the pilgrims chorus in 'Tannhauser;"
when this was played he usually sue
cumbed about the fifth bar. There is
then hope for the eternity of Wagner's
fame yet. In the way of further "ex-
perimentS' we have to note the exist
ence in London of the so-called Guild
of st. Cecilia, which seeks to charm
away pain and induce sleep by the
soothing strains of music, and even
contemplates. or did contemplate, Il
mission of mercy by telephone aid.
Further, we have the announcement
that music is being more and more
Systematically employed i'm our lunatic
asylums, and that the medical profess