Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-12
PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT or
.MUs|C's EFFECT ON MIND
General Facts Familiar From limo
l. lmmcmorinl to Savagcs and
4. Civilization.
EDISON SUPPORTS RESEARCH
Searchcr Will Have To Go Further
to Startling Demonstrations That
+. What Fascinatcs Spider Is Vibra-
~ tiOn OF Web,

!, Tho offer OF Thomas A. I3dison's
Wizc for research on the Psychology
~ music reminds us how far VIC are.
nf,cr knowing for thousands or
Years the effects Of music on human
thought and action. from understand
Ing tho precise origin and natur. of
those effects.
- The general facts have been ia
in!llar from tine immemorlai 10 say
AGES AK well as 10 civilized and in
trllectualiy curious races Barring
iccordinH to the usual assumption con
soions recognition. or comprehension
VI thcm. the lower animala. even In
sects. are practically acquainted l;h
ahcse facts. But the music 81 birds
I'M song Of the kutydid. the stridu-
cations OF cicados. grasshoppers and
less psychological" than human
melodies. oratorios and concerts? or
70 pnt II the other way. IL human
mus any less physiological" than
poppers and crickctsy IL physioiogy
gan accoun; for the effects produced
IN Inc one case. ~ psychology needed
10 account for them in tho other
suspect that this is the direction
Lhat the research viii take. and that
Mc Edison priz" viii &" TO someone
Whose thesis viii be, IN reality II
'psScho--' ono soul elencnD. CON
Termed IN tho phenomena. but that
.t,h.y arc All physical, !. g.. bodil% cf-
added 10 the growing doctrine Of
'stropiam." which would. IN the end.
mako Of human beings merely mar
.rels Of mechanism.
. We shall have demonstration Of
Tered that the wrppt listeners to 4
beethoven symphony arc moved only
u! the sam" stimulus that brings "A
spidcr out OF her nest when a tuning
n, IA. IN -
Patton oppressed In physical or
.physluiog zeal terms
But III" disani sition that gets the
sprizc cannot stop there. Tn" re-
roarchcr Viii have 10 go on to the
1urth"r startling Demonstration
(which h" VIII owc to Mr.. G.. V. Boys)
That what really fascinatos tho spider
IL simply tho vibration impaired by
~" sound waves 20 her w"h ANA that
when sh" draws near the tuning fork
sh" j. seeking supposed i;y caught
I'm her m.shs..
!. More than that. he will no doubt;
confirm MIR Boys observation that
- sptd.r cnn b. made 10 eat" q
NY drowned IN parai,!u aud thrown
Into It's web. Notwithstanding Us Ills
1ikr FOR food thus prepared by simply
Touching the tuning fork 10 tho body
OF the rs
rs often az the spider began 80
j.axe the n.y." reports Sir. Boys Il
again touched II" with the ylbrat-
-; iork) and by this means COM
tiou or tho n.y."
: &ow It il possible INA, restaurant
Keepers could demonstrate that aba
ret music can max" humans ca, whai
Joined with vibrations impaired hT
around the cables hut would that
throw any LIGHT on the iunncnr. tx
crcised by TIA. music Of Mozart"
i. There IL reason f"r Anticipating
that the 'nrtat'gat:on inpitea by the
other line ~ attack opened uron 'hr
idea OF IN" existence 81 a human soul.
when m. proposed program speaks
Of the ''psychologlcnl and physi0lo-
-menns Observation-Disclosures tcal." and
that signifies again 'ropisn,, the deA-
eni,ion Of r,Syehonhysics being. ns He
'sci.nc" of mental ph.nom.na rs de-
pendent anon or correlated with meas
. litnblc physical changes"
, sei,'"s psychologists today aim con
/, Ettnusly or internationally. TO destro,'
. ISychc. the Soul" by dsprivins II
al MI sp!ritlai. or supernatural
submit 10 and rpntiun. 20 survive.
Hrh-y ~. Observation-Disclosures. and fol-
Indicated ~ its definition above. /
physics. in itself !, furnishes some
.oi the most Interesting reading IN
one .. The subjects 10 be studied,
we IRA informed. + ''thc mod Tca-
7ion Of moods by music" Nobody Il
ignorant OF that power which music
has. and AN investigation or Il which
really disclosed its secret would be
..of immense interest, but | do not
,,holi.vc that the methods Of physical
ssciencc. methods Fundamentally rcst-
,~inr on nca surement. and that ncccs-
.ssariiy in physical units can disclose
'f,hc secret.
= Biological science IS more ana
more made 10 depend upon physical
concepts and physical laws. These
can explain the nature al sound
waves. the principles o! harmony. the
direct effects OF vibartory energy on
the physiological functions. etc. Dut