Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-09
MAN WHO HEARS COLOR
Mistake of Surgeon In Joining
OPTIC and Auditory Nerves.
CAUSES PATIENT TO SEE NOISE

Blue l. Like Bells Locomotive
whistle VioIes-SunItght Produces
sound That Is DeafentnE-ArrnnEes
bouquets by the Harmony They
Produce.
Recently a celebrated Berlin sur
geon performed in his private sani-
tarium on operation on man for
brain tumor, says a Baltimore dispatch
90 the Cincinnati CommercialTribune.
The opening Of the skull disclosed the
fact that the tumor was Of great size
and that its removal would nccessitate
the severing of many brain nerves.
There was nothing else to do. how
ever. as IL was question Of life or
death. After the main operation had
been successfully completed the cut
( portions OF the brain were brought to-
/ gether, but here mistake was made.
a fact disclosed only after the pa
tent had been conscious for some
time.
The upper portion Of the sight nerve
was connected with the under portion
Of the auditory nerve while the upper
portion OF the auditory nerve was con
nected with the under portion OF the
visual nerve.
The story which Herr Braun now
/ tells is worthy OF O Poe or a Rider
uaggard. During the first period OF
/ cOnvalesCencc the patient was not con
I sciOus OF either light or sound impress
sions. and since that time the man has
had no sense of sight or hearing in the
] real sense Of the word.
The seventh day after the operation
/ ne uwoke iu the morning and groped.
as was his custom. for an electric but
ton near his bed flo order 20 summon
j an attendant.
/ The moment. however. he touched the
/ button Uiare appeared. 10 his boundless
! astouisbmeut. a wide expause OF blue
/ light Herr Braun here explains that
/ the blue and violet rays of the spec
/ trum have the shortest period OF VIE
/ bration ana the smallest wave length
and therefore correspond 90 high tones
/ while. on the other hand. red CORE
spends TO deep tones and yellow and
green 70 tones between these two cN-
trcmcs.
Thus is explained the fact that the
sound OF the electric bell. caught by
the auditory nerves and transmitted 20
the connected visual nerves and then
TO the visual brain tract produced the
impression OF blue light
The next phase OF the case appeared
three days later. At this time the sight
nerve suture had healed. and the sec.
/ ond phase OF the phenomena appeared.
He was frequently awakened during
| the night by sensations OF light. which
were produced by the slightest noise.
ON this day he was awake long
| before daybreak. As dawn approached
I he heard q gentle sound in which he
/ was able 20 distinguish various allied
| tones. The sounds, however. dismoycd
I him, especially as they Increased Iu in-
/ tcnsity. Suddculy-thls at tho time OF
| the suns appearance tie noises be-
/ came dcafeung. and the man.. horri
! fed, spraug out of bed and rushed i'm
/ the direction OF the window.
However. his trouble was only I'm.
/ creased 10y this move. Tor, while lac had
| mp 20 that time heard only one sound.
now from every side noises crowded
! upon him.
/ II he looked at the red curtain az the
/ window (which. oC course. hc could
/ not see either as curtain or Window
/ deep bass crashed upon him: II he
/ glanced at the blue carpet delicate
bells rang en- his ears: IL he looked at
/ the white door very bedlam burst
| around him. The above facts. Herr
Braun says, were translated into light
| sensations.
| II he looks az the heavens be IS able
10 ten whether the day IS clear or
! cloudy. Deep blue produces a loud.
] high and tolerably clear note gray blue
q deeper sound mingled with other
noises and gray is represented by the
! simultaneous humming OF gentle notes
I lie is able 10 recognize room at once
simply 10y the sounds.
Interesting experiments have been
| performed with flowers OF many colors
which have been given the patient TO
arrange into bouquets.
In this case certain color combina-
| lions are recognized 10y him as In ac-
! cord. others as inharmonious. and IL Is
! remarkable that the grouping OF fow-
| ers which he arrangcs by sounds is IN
every way beautiful to the eye or the
| spectator.
With pictures the experiments are no
less Interesting. Naturally the objects
| are not recognized. but II is more than
! extraordinary that MenzeFs "Walz-
! Terk' Golling mild produces a deaf
ening uproar, while Bochlins "Pieta"
creates soft gentle chords, and II the
eye OF the subject be allowed TO pass
over the entire canvas a gentle melody
IS heard by him.
Sounds produce equally remarkable
effects. A shrlli locomotive whistle Is
violet the sound of gong is trans
lated by orange and the dropping OF
rain IS green.
Most OF the persons surrounding the
man are recognized by their voices.
The effect OF music Is particularly
agreeable to the patient, and he says
that the colors which are now conJured
up before him by music are far more
4 beautiful than the corresnond{nss