New-York tribune., 1901-03-24

HeHlDIe acoustic tube sometimes this Is only
about two or three feet long. The applies
one end to the ear and offers to the speaker the
other. which terminates in a rubber funnel The
efficiency of this apparatus depends chiefly upon
the size Of the funnel. An interesting develop
ment of this system was provided in a dining
room in Brooklyn several years ago Speaking
tubes Were arranged under the table Ieadin,
from each seat to the place occupied by the
host, who was deaf. BY this means he could
hear what any of his guests said. In fact there
were two sets of tubes one colored black and
the other lavender The latter were used on
especially festive occasions and the other every
day.
Another outsrowth of the same method is an
invention of Professor f. H. Currier of the New
York Institution for the instruction of the Deaf
and Dumb. In the work in which he is
gaged-training deaf people to use their vocal
organS-it is essential that they should hear
themselves we'll the professor. Otherwise
they cannot know how good or how imperfect
is their imitation of the instructors utterances
Hence the student puts to his ear a device that
is forked like a wishbOne, One prong connects
with a speaking tube used 10y the teacher. and
the other with a second tube into which the
student speaks
Special combinations of trumpet and tube
have been made for exceptional uses y bell
measuring three feet across. once suspend
ed over a pulpit in church and an acoustic tube
led thence to one Of the pews. Not long ago u
business man in this city had an instrument
fifteen inches long and ten inches wide.
ranged his desk that It could be made To dis
appear when not used, When he wished to
verse with visitor the apparatus raised
into position the outsider talked into the big
trumpet and the proprietor applied one end of
u flexible tube to his ear.
Within the last two three years experiments
have been made with instruments resemblu;
the telephone 10y NJ. X Hutchinson. a bright
youus electrical engineer who has come to thi-
city 70 live and Dr. Samuel q. Tracy, a phySi-
clan Nh1 employs electricity in a variety of way,
for remedial purposes These two inventors
have worked independently Of each other. aud
their methods differ in detail. but they b.->
make of three devices-a storage battery.
transmitter and receiver The last two are
connected 10y wires with the battery. and con
sequently with each other
There are two styles If receiving Instruments
on" Is held in the hand. like Il lorenette. and
ministers 10 one ear only. In its handle is a tu.
switch which turns the current on or of so tn =.
ii may not be wasted when it is not require
Tho other form If instrument is casped ov.
the head by light spring. and carries two ear
pieces. The transmittrr is also found in two
forms. Mr.. Iutchson's may De- laid a tabl.
near the listener or in the lattvr's lap. several
feet away from the speaker. At present Dr.
Tracys is meant 10 b. held in the speakers
hand. This apparatus is not Yet fully dev.
oped, however. and he aims eventually to modI-
fy the present arrangement There are points
OF difference between the two styles of storag.
battery employed. but these need noI be pointed
out here.
1t is said that "A number of well known men
and women in this city have tried the electrical
apparatus just described. both in their homes
ana At The opera and theatre. \ dining tabl.
has been equipped with transmitters at every
place. and receiver for the hostess. Thus she
is able to enjoy the conversation of the Who'll.
company. To get the benefit Of musical and
dramatic entertainments. a deaf person using
this system must sit the front of the house.
but ii is not necessary 10 put the transmitting
device on the stage If ii rests in the listeners
lap merely. the object is attained. although for
long distance" work it is we'll attach To the
Either style Of receiver may he used and II
course, there must be a storage battery at hand
The electrical system is not yet fully devel-
Oped, and it cannot be fairly judged from its
present status perhaps. 1t is costly and the
need Of supply of electricity makes the appa-
ratus less portable than it otherwise would be
But for the very deaf it seems to promise grea.