Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-17
MUSIC IN HEALING ART
Therapeutic Value of Accordant Sou
Is Scientifically Demonstrated bv
Brooklyn Physician.

The value of music as a tharano,,.,
agent was scientifically demonstra,l,
at the home of DR.. Francis 4. Kennoa.
OF Brooklyn short time ago. Var,
tons OF from fifteen TO TWENTY-FIVE Js,e
per minute IN the pulse of subjects nrS',
contrasting influences, such as Sclocti,
from the Tannhaeuser overture and -,
bach fifth nOcturne, furnished ahnpIa;,,
proof mat under certain conditions mo-
dies and harm0nies when apnliej
lonics, stlmulants, sedatives or narcorin.
for the purpose of the experiment.
twenty trained nurses from the tlifferon,
hospitals In the city were invited 10 -,
tehd the musical recital at DIR. Kennedy'
home. 0u9
Nurses were selected because tho onars
ton of taking the pulse is with them .,,
every day matter, and it was not Tka,,.
that the condition of their own mis-
would be affected by having If taker
The subjects were taken at Random L,-
careful record of their relation to n,,, pG.
III general and their physical characteri,-
ties was Kept. After some further ex-
peiments these records may permit SOM,
interesting general conclusions.
Dr. Kennedy presided at the mo-.
cnanical piano player by which The mn.
SIC was produced. To get the heart
beats OF his subjects down to normal
PuI thSHl INTO proper mental
ana physical condition he first gavr.
them Annie Laurie" Owing to ths
personal element which enters so largely
INTO everything relating to music the o.
rect or this Introductory number on lbr
auditors was variable, but, generall,-
speaking. its tendency was to bring blooI
pressure pulse beats back to normal
where they mad been either above or be-.
low normal before the music began
n fol
Iannhaeuser overture with orchestral mr.
rangement. With the piano player ire
mendous volume of sound is possible
| The contrast between the swelling noto,
of the march that mark the clinny or
the latter half of the overture and tb,.
flnal diminuendos of the Pilgrim
chorus was marked. The effect u1,on
the subjects was equally nrominap" oI
Nearly every one responded to Wagner
harmonles with much more rapid pulsr
increase, ranging from ten to twenty
hYe beats per minute. One young WON
an whose pulsations run way IN into H.,
nlnetleS confessed afterward that The
Iannhaeuser overture was her fayoriie
selection.
TWO records We're kept, one of tb,
pulse beats and one of blood pressure
The latter record permitted the interest
ing conclusion that listening to a favorite
selection may produce the effect CT re
taxation on one person while il stinu-
iates the heart action of another This
is alluded to as indicating that Just is
careful study of Il patient is as neces-
sary before prescribing musical remedies
as should precede the writing out of
prescription.
Relationships Meditation" quiet.
restful number, followed the overture.
There was general response among the
hearers manifested by diminished blood
pressure and slower pulse beats. That
is, with one exception. There was one
young woman whose pulse went away
above the high water mark fixed Dy the
Tannhaeuser selection as she listened to
the soothing strains of the Russian COM
poser. The circumstance leaves an inter
esting field for speculation as to what
mental associations might have been re-
sponsible for this unusual contrast effect
After several other selections, includ-
ing the Angels Serenade." during which
the effects observed were decidedly at
variance, DR.. Kennedy played Leybach's
Fifth nocturne. Here again the result
was remarka bic in that there was scarce
ly an exception to the decided character
of the response. The harmonies in this
number are woven about a pretty melody
non-intrusive in character. The effect of
the whole number was most soothing.
The pulse beats went down to the lowest
ebb, away below normal, in the ma iority
of cases. testifying to the appreciation Of
the musical effect.