The suburban citizen., 1900-11-03
MUSIC FOR THE INSANE.
AN EXPERIMENT WHICH INTERESTS
ALL THE CIVILIZED WORLD.

Signs-Photographs Which show I'm.
provement--Muslc rs n Remedial Agent
On Wards Island, where the State
cares for the insane of Manhattan.an
experiment is being tried which inter
ests all the civilized world. There.
where the poor are treated, the latest
/ development of science is being put
to the test, and daily trials are being
made Of the effect Of music on the
BRAIN to determine how far It can be
relied upon as Il remedial agent Just
/ what the ultimate result will be Il is
! too soon to state with authority The
physicians who have the matter in
, charge are watching and studying
each case assiduously They are not
| yet ready to commit themselves as
TO results, but details, as far as the
| experiment. has gone, were cheerfully
| given and are full Of interest
The theory is not new. 1t was known
to and discussed by the ancients Pyth-
| agoras prescribed Souaets to those Ia
boring under alteration of mind, be-
cause of their rhythmic movement.
Ncnocrates, 39G b. c., following his
teaching, played a Tyre and sang to
the insane. Centuries later Fcrnel,
the eminent singer, is said to have
cured Philip of Spain of homicidal
mania by singing ballads TO him daily.
1t is well known among students of
brain disease that few South Germans
commit suicide, and it is held probable
that there is some connection between
that fact and the extreme fondness
for music which characterizes the ma
tion. But it was not until quite re-
Gently that anything like systematic
experiment was made, or any scientific
records kept In 1877 and 1873 some
desultory effort was made on Black
wells Island. In 1886 the Lancet dis
cuSsed the subject, and is quoted as
saying: Music influences both brain
and spinal cord, probably on account
Of music having vibratory or wave
motion, and through its yibratory ac-
tion stimulates the nerve centres
Music acts as q refreshing mental
StimulQnt and restorative. Therefore
it braces depressed nervous tone. and
indirectly through the nervous system
reaches the tissues" And now, i'm
Manhattan Free Hospital, the theory
is being daily applied, and effort is
being made to reach definite and sat
isfactOry conclusions. Dr. Baily, the
well-known brain specialist with his
al 1yrif
the consulting surgeon of Wards Isl
and, became convinced that music was
a desirable aid, and, being eager to
prove the benefit, agreed TO supply
music for one hour n day if DIR. Il. G..
Dent, Superintendent Of the Womans
Hospital would arrange a class and
keep all records. This Or. Dent agreed
to do, and for a number of weeks the
experiment has been under way.
Technically there are many kinds
Of insanity. For their proper treat
mcnt patients are divided into group
or classes, the cases of acute mani
together, those of melancholia in an
other ward, and so on In order t
ascertain the effect of music. it mus
be tried upon each class or group sepa
rately. 10 make a close study pos
sible there should not be too many
so twelve sufferers from molancholi
were first chosen, then twelve who's
disease takes the acute form. Tn
music will be continued until clas
from each ward has been subjecte
to the test SO far there is a genera
, feeling among the physicians that
, gain is being made, but they are con
} servatiye, and chary Of stating any
thing positively, until closer study la
been given, and reports have bee
more carefull.- considered.
Two afternoons recently the write
attended the class. In the interval Le
tween the first and second visits tw
days only had elapsed, yet the face
seemed brighter and more mtelllgon
. upon the second day, and one or tw
showed n decided increase in inter
, est. The class in progress was th
acute one Among its members wa
one poor girl who rayed incegsantl
in an excited manner, another who wa
apparently obliylous to all her SUI
roundings, others who were quiet. bu
absolutely dull and llfclcss. Ii wa
noticed that the programmes consist
ed Of sentimental classical music A
three O'Clock the class Is ushercd int
the music room, The members ar
unrestrainCd, but nurses watch ever
change and note II down. Before TN
music begins, and again Whcn the elias
Is closed, the temperature, respiration
and pulse Of each patient are takei
by the nurses and recorded. Durin
the entire hour these attendants ar
on the watch Through their CAREFUL
taken notes the physicians keep IN
formed Of every change, ana fron
these make their deductions. II It ca
be discovered thai change Of any sor
follows the treatment something vii
have been achieved for to rouse tn
patient or to change the current o
thought is all-impOrtant.
Acute mania is most helped by pc
rlods Of quletude, The brain Is over
stimulated and needs rest. If II cal