The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-03-20

au ahictsd with deafness, to the
laboratory. Mr.. W. J. Hammer, q
well knowl member of the Institute
OF Electrical Engineers, Nc. Fl. w
Webb, Mrs. J. II White, Mrs. George
Kidd, Miss Kidd, Mrs. p. S Jan.
nings, Miss Jennings and DR.. Care ace
Sharp, OF the Presbyterian Hospital,
were among Others present.
he young inventor said he thought
he haS perfected an instrument that
meant rs much for the ear as eve
glasses meant for impaired vision, for
1t could bs adjusted to any degree of
i peculiayity of deafness, unless due to
abs,!ute paralysis ofathe auditory
nerveor to the removal of the sioy
bones of the middle ear through an
operations.
INVENTION NOT CUMBERSOME.
The invention consists, primarily,
or a transmitter, an ear piece and a
small electric battery. Il is far less
conspicuous than any other form of
nearing Instrument, no part of it &C.
tually appearing in sight except the
ear piece which may be covered with
the hand. The battery may be car.
rled In the wa s;coat pocket. The
transmitter is w,rn under the ccat or
or In the folds of dress and the eur
piece is no larger than a watch case.
BY means OF these instruments
sound is projected into the ear L: a
OF lat .
nerve. The volume of sound has
nothing to do with the action of the s,
instruments. A whisper sound, as
plainly as a shout. Ths penetrating
quality of the electric sound wave an.
parently disregarls the mech anism of
the outer ear a,d effects the inner ear
direct.
The first patient brought out to try
the effects of the invention was Orris
Benson, who is blind, deaf and dumb.
DR.. Sharp tried to make him hear.
in various ways, with turning fork
between his teeth and pressed against
his skull, and by shouting in his ear
mctllll rin .Ysai9 7gess vliteA vui inssasrps
ear the currenS s%ftched-vn,-nd M
Hutchinson said in an ordinary con-
versational tone, Papa" The
youth raised his sightless eyes to his
friend, Prof. Van Tassell, and
worked his fingers rapidly in the
sign language.
"He says he can hear something,
but doesn't know what it is" re.
marked Prof. Van Tassell. The
current was made stronger. The
youths eyebrows were raised aid he
smiled. Then he tried to repeat the
syllables and in wierd treble cried
shrilly, "Pah-pah."
Noticing that the patient was be
coming quite excited over his novel
experience, Mr. Hutchinson suggest
ed that one Of the girls be brought
into the reception room. a pretty,
rosy checked girl, Is years old, who
had lost sight and hearing through
exposure dozen years ago, was led
into the room.
AS PATHETIC AS WONDERFUL.
She could not hear a sound, no
matter how loud, right against her
ear. but when she had the ear piece
of the instrument fastened to her
head and the pianist at the end Of
the room began to play Sousa
march her cheeks flushed crimson
and her fingers beat time on a table
The other hand sought the hand of
the teacher behind her and twinkled:
"What is it? l hear something, bat
| don't know what it is. 1t is beau
tiful. Can | have it?"
When Prof. Van Tassell had
translated what the girls fingers had
said one or two of the women pres
ent remarked that they did not know
whether the experience was more re,
markable than it was pathetic.
Another girl, born blind, deaf and
dumb, clapped her hands in ecstasy
> when she heard her own voice say
Mamma" and reached out wist-
fully toward the piano when the mu-
, sician stopped playing and the new
F., harmonies died out of her ear but
! fingered in her memory.
To illustrate how the invention
masnified and translated sound a
megaphone attached to a phonograph
:. and connected with the battery and
the transmitter was put out Of win
dow block awayfrom Herald square
, AS the notes of the Toreador song
| frorn I.Carmen" Hoated ont on IN,