The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-11-01
MUSIC FOR THE INSANE.
AN EXPERIMENT WHICH INTERESTS
ALL THE CIVILIZED WORLD.

ests all the civilized world. There,
where the poor are treated, the latest
development of science Is being put
20 the test, and daily trials nre being
made of the effect of music on the
brain. to determine how far it can be
relied upon as u remedial agent. Just
what the ultimate result will be 1t Is
too soon to state with authority. The
ohyslcians who have the matter in
charge are watching and studying
zach 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. II was known
TO and discussed by the ancienis. Pyth-
agoras prescribed sonnctS TO those Ia
boring under alteration of mind, be-
cause of their rytlmic movement
Nenocratcs. BOG Il. G., following his
teaching. played Il Tyre and sang TO
the insane. Centuries later, Fcrincll,
the eminent singer. is said to have
cured Philip of Spain of homicidal
mania by singing ballads to him daily.
II 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 charactcrlzcs the ma
ton. 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 1856 the Lancet dis
cusscd 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 vibratory ne
lion stimulates the nerve centres.
Music acts as II refreshing mental
stimulant and restorative. Therefore
it braces depressed nervous tone, and
indirectly through the nervous system
reaches the tissues" And now, in
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
able wife, and DR.. Peterson. who is
the consulting surgeon of Wards Isl
and. became convinced that music was
desirable aid, and. being eager to
prove the benefit, agreed TO supply
music for one hour day If Dr. Il. G..
! Dent, Superintendent of the Woman's
Hospital, would arrange class and
| keep all records. This Dr. Dent agreed
to do. and for number of weeks the
experiment has been under way.
| Technically there are many kinds
| of insanity. For their proper treat
ment patients are divided into groups
or classes. the cases of acute mania
| together, those of melancholia in an
other ward, and so on. In order to
ascertain the effect of music. 1t must
be tried upon each class or group sepa-
| rately. TO make n close study pos
sibic there should not be too many
| so twelve sufferers from melancholia
were first chosen, then twelve whose
| disease takes the acute form. The
music will be continued until a class
| llOhl NsNIl Ndiu HIS utNll SuDJtfltU
to the test. So far there is a general
feeling among the physicians that q
gain is being made, but they are con
servative. and chary of stating any
thing positively. until closer study has
been given, and reports have beer
more CAREFUL considered.
Two afternoons recently the writer
attended the class. In the interval be
tween the first and second visits tive
days only had elapsed, yet the faces
seemed brighter and more lntelligen
upon the second day, and one or tw,
showed decided increase in inter
est. The class in progress was th
acute one, Among Its members wa
one poor girl who rayed inc2ssantl.
in m excited manner, another who VA
apparently oblivious to all her SUI
rOundlngs, others who were quiet, bu
absolutely duh and lfclcss. 1t wa
noticed that the programmes consist
cd of sentimental classical music. A
three o'clock the class is ushercd int
the music room The members ar
unrestrained, but nurses watch ever
change and note ii down. Before I'll
music begins, and again when the elias
is closed, the temperature, respiratio
and pulse OF each patient are take
by the nurses and recorded. Durin
the entire hour these attendants M
on the watch. Through their CAREFUL
taken notes the physicians keep Il
formed Of every change and frol
these make their deductions If it ca
. be discovered that change OF any so
follows the treatment, something wi
have been achieved, for TO rouse Il
patient or TO change the current
l thought Is all-important
Acute mania is most helped by p
riods Of qulctudc. The brain is owe
! stimulated and needs rest. If ii ca
l be discovered that one sort of mus
or another induces those periods,
distinct advantage will be gained. Oh
u Ing in a happy, contented way. ~
nurse assured us that she felt t
music helped TO create her cheerf
" moments. The poor child, who seem
sodden and dull upon the first da
! showed signs of pleasure on the st
:, ond The most excited patient
the twelve listened far more quiet
" upon the latter occasion.
? The melancholia class had complet
> its allotted month when the visit W