The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05

was played marked her 81 one whose key
note could be found only in the pathetic
range. This one also recovered and was
sent home. Melanchola cases seem to be
sort. and when the individual has had some
musical training the response Is SO ready as
TO be more interesting than usual.
melancholia from which a woman OF refined
habits and tastes suffered. Muse of any
description produced a profound effect upon
airs she became cheerful TO the point OF
smiling. The effect was more lasting than
In ordinary cases and no doubt 1t was to
this that her rapid recovery was due.
In other hopitals similar experiments have
been tried and notes made as to the effects
various airs had upon the individual. There
Is the record of q woman IS years old who
had been confined In the asylum for three
years with chronic mania. She was SO
violent that a strAitjacket had to be put on
her, and her language became very profane
until the soft strains of ChOpins Nocturns
fell upon her ear. producing queting eff
feet so that profanity gave way to rational
muscles. being furnished with excitomotor
and depressant fibers act in relation TO the
music similarly TO the heart; that is to
say. that joyful music resOunds along the
excitomotor fibers and sad music along the
depresSant fbers.
Music is most important factor in
treating depressed mental condition."
says another authority. and this is true
with the sane as we'll with the insane.
1t has its influence on the emotions OF
man. nut there are tam
recognized as essential to the beneficial
treatment with music The results are far
better IL the player have temperament-a
sympathetic nature and an intuitive desire
10 alleviate suffering. Given these aualifi-
cations. and II the patient is receptive and
appreciate to the Qualities In music the
cure ought. IL Is asserted. Ito prove
rapidly beneficial
NERVES AND VIBRATIONS.
Musical treatment doctors have the the
DRY that an unsound mind has set the
wrong vibrations in motion and that this
attracts all the discordant vibration about
It, so that the way to produce harmony in
this mind is 10 strike the individual key
note and set the right vibrations going. Eaci
human soul. they say. has Its keynote. and
If this can he found and sounded the mind
dition. Music accomplishes this In a re-
markable way. IL the musical vibrations
are attuned TO the listener he immediately
experiences a sense of repose and calm. the
fever that throbs in his temples begins to
abate and very soon he falls into an intel
ligeat re, rest or or sumher II; on the other
needs rousng. music OF power will send
vibrations OF energy through his being;
oG1or Dent in PeaNas f of the mqsea
that the majority Of our patients at West
Hospital have never had the advantages of
musical one, but in the face of this handi-
cap | feel Justified in saying that many OF
our patients have recovered as 4 direct re-
speech.
The sound OF music succeeded in rousing
n hitherto depressed melancholia patient
who was considered incurable. then 1t
brought intelligence to her mind. next she
grew affectiona,e. and finally laxative and
exalted as the experiments were continued
from day to day. There were other cases
where tho patients showed no signs of
benefit from listening to music. but on
the whole. satisfactory conclusions were
drawn as to the general benefit of the
mental stimufant and restorative to some
disturbed minds. Its sounds brace the de-
pressed nervous tone and indirectly
through the nervous system reach the it's
1t was observed at the time of the fore
going experiments that bodily. nutrition
cases and that those who had listened to
the music were less disturbed through the
night than previous TO the tests, which
the calming effects were prolonged The
theory of the musical treatment. accord
Ing. to one authority. is that the voluntary
other treatment Is not superseded while
this is going The patients have. in ad-
dition to their regular treatments. all sorts
of outdoor games and exercises. baseball
and football for the men. dancing. walking.
gymnasium work and cnolr practice and
musical drills for the women. while few
patients who are able to play the piano
sing are encouraged to go en- with their i'm
provement in this direction.
II have found the human voice to he more
effective in getting good results from this
method OF treatment We arrange to have
good singer come to the hospital on Ger
tain day and the EensILal this
natural. however. for Il you take the case
of sane persons you, will find that the ma
jority care more to hear good voice than
any kind of instrumental music.
week for. enteria inment for the patients
and besides the amusements already
enumerated they nermittpI give
plays. there are frequent excursions on the
Sound, with the hospital band to add to the
general enjoyment, and on holidays there
are field games. in which patients. nurses
and attendants take part.
While some cases may never receive any
great benefit from the musical treatment,
all like 10 join in the amussments. the acute
patients for the purpose of cure and the
chronic ones for the enjoyment 1t brings
In May the patients had Maypo!e dance
en- the campus. 1t was noticed that the
women entered into the diversion with the
"plaudng whenever they particularly
hand listened stolid!y to the band but
10 be interested in the gay pink. white ana
blue costumes as the, wearers moved in
and out through the dance"
Doctor Alexander E. Macdonald. superin-
tendent of East Hospital, Gays that In his
department music Is not tried az a treat
men: 81 doubt If it would accomplish much
Donald "but 1t may be and probably IL
true that women are more susceptible to
the strains of violin or piano than are
the opposite sex. Music has been found very
beneficial in the way of offering diversion
to the patients confined in an institution:
and in this respect 1t NAV be considered
an invaluable factor in the methods of
treatment
SOOTHING EFFECT.
Music" says Doctor George f. Shrady.
has the same relation to the emotional
ccntcrs of the human system as color has.
We know how the irritable child has learned
to sleep hearing the ditty of its mother.
fl,at