Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-13
Harmonious Strains Have a Great
Effect on the Sick.
TREATED As A THERAPEUTIC AGENT
An Experiment That Has Been
Tried Recently in London.
TABULATING THE RESULTS


Written for The Eyeniay Star
The attention of medical men and scien-
lists generally was recently attracted to
the remarkable case of Mamie Sternhaus
a thirteen-year-old girl living in New York
city, who was twice brought out of a
trance by the strains of violin. While the
case presented was remarkable. Instances
of still more remarkable cures by the aid
Oh music are on record. The employment OF
musical instruments as curative agent
for large number of nervous and tenn
peramental disorders has until quite re-
Gently been regarded in the light of a FASH
ionable fad. But music as a medicine has
now passed OFT of the experimental stage
into that of an exact science, which Just
now is engaging the serious attention OF
many foremost physicians of the world
The most interchangeable student OF treat
ment by the medico-musical method is DR.
Beschinsky, prominent Russian physi-
clan. who is enthusiastic over the success
he has achieved in the line of his inves;i-
many descriptions Of DIR. Beschinsky's
work. He has confined his experiments
chiefly to children. He has discovered that
music, in which the minor chords abound
produced under proper conditions a somno-
lent state in young patients suffering from
acute insomnia. One little girl addicted to
nightmare and sleep.essness was put to rest
with a few bars of a Chopin waltz in A
minor, played softly on the violin. while
another patient was cured of hysteria by
repeated passages from Beethoven's sorata,
''Pathetiaue," played on the pianoforte.
Physicians and Musicians.
I In London, at the big temperance hos
pitsl, and in Chicago. at the Hypnotic In
stitute, music has been brought into the
sphere of practical therapeutics. 1t has
| remained for the London guild of st. Ce-
ella, however. to place music squarely on
a footing with every other known method
of treating bodily and mental aches and
disorders. Indeed, ii is nearer the truth
to say that this institution has discarded
every other curative means, supplanting
them with music alone. Working side by
side In this hospital are doctors and musi-
cians-the first to diagnose case. the
second to administer on flute. violin or
piano the necessary melodic medicine A
staff of musicians equal in number to The
staff of doctors is constantly il attend
ance. Canon Hartford and DIR. George
Blackmann are the chief directors of this
the most original and unique hospital in
the world.
At the guild of st. Cecilia men and
women musicians, especially trained to sing
and play soft music. are employed with
a view to their individual qualifications,
just the same as if they were graduates of
a medical college or school for nurses.
There is kept in readiness at the guild
permanent choir, and the acoustics of the
main and private dormtories are carefully
looked after. 1t has been found that there
exists great difference between the effect
of music given 10 alleviate pain and that
given to produce sleep. In the latter case,
according TO Canon Harford's observations
the music must be low ard more or less
monotonous, while the melody intended TO
distract the Patients mind from his physi-
cal suffering should he lively but soft
lrsta3tes of patients suffering from mel
anchoiy and delirium trernens are qaotcd
by DIR. Biack;nann as having become per
fectiy calm, sane and happy after listen
ing to the peculiar style of music found
a1tel many experiments to be best adapted
to such cases. Patients suffering from
dropsy and injuries resulting from acef-
dents, both Of which often produce NOLAN
chclia, have been LeIped to speedy recu-
peraton by means of music.
Tnbulating the Effects.
There are certain composers, however
to listen TO whose music would exagger-
ate some of the more common nervous
disorders to the point of hysteria. wag-
ner is one of these irritant composers,
which proves the humorous writers not
far wrong in their seemingly far-fetched
prescriptions. High, sharp notes will
undo in few minutes the soothing eff
fects of harmonious chords played fer an
hour. 1t IS a difficult task TO select the
proper singers and players; they must
atcve all things understand the value of
modulated tones. Out of twenty singers
DIR. Blackmanl could select but three who
could sing very piano, ard who were. there
fore, of value in the wards of this musical
hospital.
One of the NEST important and valuable
achievements of st. Cecilia guild Is the
tabulation, by Instruments and their notes
OF the effect upon all sorts and conditions
OF patients. By glance at one of these
mathematical charts one can see the pre-
else effect of given note on a given in
Strument in given case. Thus a chord
in b minor will produce marked qu:eting
Of the nerves; chord in G sharp will show
an almost instant change of mood from de-
preston to one of comparative cheerful
moss land Sd on. A succession of minor
chords played andante will move the pa
tlent 10 tears while number of chords
played in d sharp with allegro movement
Will arouse the patients interest and i'll
duce him to tap hand foot in time with
the music's swing. The therapeutic value
OF the piano is known to note; for every
kind of ache there seems to be a corre-
spending note or a combination of notes
The violin, cur.ously enough, stands at the
top of the list among the Instruments best
adapted Tor hospital use Placing the Their
apeutic value of the violin at 100. the piano
comes next at 80, the cello at 9S, and the
reed organ at %; the flute is placed at 30
the mandolin at 50. the guitar at 81, the
either at IS, the banjo at Co. and the
mouth organ or harmonica very low down
in the scale, somewhere between So and 90
The Human Voice.
The medical authorities who have given
the subject attention all agree that tenors
should sing to female patients and So
rranos to male. The human voice in the
st. Cecilia guilds tabulation of sound eff
fects stands by itself; in many cases
where no musical instrument has been sue
cessful in achieving a cure a song has put
the patient on the high road to recovery
Experiments upon animals as well as HUI
mans have been made with varying de-
gress of success at the st. Cecilia guild
1t is known fact that dogs will yowl In a
most dismal fashion il certain notes are
played on a cornet. while they will sit I'm
silence and evident enjoyment when GER
tain other strains are played upon VIOLIN
Ducks. according to DIR. Blackmann's as
sertions. love the notes of a flute, as do
also sheep and cows. Monkeys can be
driven to distraction by a shrin whistle.
but will listen attentiyely to the music of
q harmonica. Chickens dislike any kind of
music. though they win show SOME interest
In concertfna or an accordion The
snakes love OF the flute or reed pipes is
too well known to need any further mem
ton here; crocodiles, turtles and snails are
as impervious to the charms of music as
I