The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

Vol. I. No. 2. THE PHONOSCOPE. '5 An X=Ray Machine with no X=Ray. The simple toy illustrated in the above engraving has printed on the underside the rather high sounding title "X-Ray Machine. Wonder of the age!" But it is neither an X-ray machine nor a wonder. It is simply a reduced copy of an ancient trick. The two cylinders mounted on the base with a space between them are perforated axially and are supposed to represent coils. When the eye is applied to the end of one of these cylinders, objects may be clearly seen through them, and when a coin is slipped between the ends of the cylinders as shown in the cut, it offers no obstruction to the light. Objects can apparently be seen through the coin. Fig. 2 affords an explanation. The hole in each cylinder is intercepted by a mirror arranged at an angle of 45° with the axis of the cylinder, and in the base are two mirrors arranged parallel with the first two, as shown. A hole extends downward from the central hole of each cylinder, so that light entering at one end of the machine is reflected downward at right angles by the first mirror, thence forward by the second mirror to the third, which throws it up to the fourth mirror, by which it is reflected to the eye. It will thus be seen that the light never passes entirely through the cylinders, and the observer does not see through but around the coin. The old device which preceded this was on a much larger scale, and was generally used in connection with a brick, which, of course, had the same transparency as the coin.— Scientific American. practical XDiees of the 3HRa\>s. As a result of advanced surgical skill, aided by the latest electrical discoveries of Thomas A. Edison, the modern miracle of restoring sight to the blind is believed to have been performed in an unusual way by Drs. W. O. Bailey and A. V. Wendell, of Newark, N. J. The fact cannot be positively determined for a month or more. Eight-year-old Mary Schoellner, of No. 248 Fairmount avenue, fell from the porch of her home two years ago, her head striking heavily against a stump. A physician who dressed the wound at the time did not notice any depression of the skull, and did not think that it was fractured. In due season the wound healed and nothing further was thought about it until two months ago. when little Mary's sight suddenly failed and symptoms of meningitis were developed. Dr. Bailey's diagnosis satisfied him that something must be pressing upon the optic nerves. Taking the little patient to Edison's laboratory, the physician, with the aid of the X-rays and the fluoroseope, examined the interior of the child's head. They found that a depression caused some fragments of bone to press upon the brain, forming a clot of blood, which, in turn, pressed upon the optic nerve and caused blindness. The fact that she could distinguish the form of a plaque proved that the opticnerve had not been destroyed. An opening was made in the top of Rosie's cranium, a depressed piece of bone removed, and the blood-clot carefully cut away. Yesterday Rosie was taken from the sanitarium to her home. She suffered no pain during or after the operation. Her eyes are carefully bandaged and will be kept bandaged for four or five weeks. The physicians who witnessed this novel operation are hopeful that the little girl's vision will be fully restored; they are confident that it will be unless the optic uerve is atrophied. Had not the bone pressure been removed from the brain, it is considered certain that Rosie would have become ere long a victim of traumatic epilepsy. The result will be anxiously awaited by oculists and physicians everywhere, as well as by the relatives of the little girl. Mary Schoellner said: "I am eight years old. I was operated upon by Drs. Bailey and Wendell. I have had no pain since the operation. I can distinguish the difference between light and darkness. If there is an object in front of me I can immediately see it, although not at all distinctly. "I cannot tell the exact distance that an object is from me. Before the operation I could not see anything at all. All was black to me. I feel satisfied from what I have already experienced that I will recover my sight once more. I have been totally blind for two months. I have not been well or strong since the fall I had two years ago. Dr. Wendell is certain that I will recover. Iborns For Recording and Reproducing. There are three things absolutely necessary in "building" a successful phonograph or graphophone record, namely, good surface on blank cylinder, a good recording diaphragm, and a suitable horn to properly transmit the souud to the diaphragm. A great number of phonograph and graphophone users are totally ignorant as to what constitutes a practical recording or reproducing horn. In traveling through the . country every exhibitor (and professor) we meet uses a different size horn and each and every one. is absolutely positive that his is the "proper thing." To interest some of our readers who may be in doubt on this subject we quote the statements of Russell Hunting, an Eastern record maker who claims to have made horns out of every conceivable thing from wood to cloth: "When I first started in making records I, of course, thought I knew it all. and thought Edison 'wasn't in it.' I immediately started in to make all kinds of diaphragms out of paper, mica, cardboard, tin, zinc, glass, etc., and burnt numerous gallons of 'midnight oil, while making horns of all sizes and descriptions. I started in with a small tin horn about 10 inches long, and wound up with a rubber one large enough to hold all my worldly possessions. After spending days and weeks in this direction I reluctantly tried the horn that was supplied with my machine, and concluded that the people at the Edison works had done a little experimenting themselves, and knew almost as much as I did and perhaps a little more. "This I say in regard to size; but I have found that the material used in making the standard horn is not as good as it could be. A horn manufactured of bell brass metal is far superior to those made of tin or zinc. (But don't waste your time with paper, lead, wood, glass, celuloid, iron, etc. Life is too short.) "But you cannot record and reproduce successfully with the same horn. One that would give a full round tone in reproducing-, would be inferior for recording -some things as it would make a 'tubby,' 'mushy' record. "In recording it is necessary to use a smaller horn than in reproducing, as one of the secrets of good record making is to transmit the sound quickly to the diaphragm, and dispense with all extra material that has a tendency to echo and vibrate. "The proper size for recording must be determined by the matter to be recorded. You surely would not use the same horn for recording a voice that you would for a brass band. The size for recording the ordinary voice (speaking) is the small 14-inch horn, talking about seven or eight inches from the bell. (A person with an ordinary voice cannot fill the large 26-inch horn.) "In recording instrumental music, however, it is necessary to use a much larger horn to make a successful record, as the harmony of the instruments is benefited by having the quantity of space for reflection. In recording vocal records (singing) it is necessary to use a still different horn, a little sinaller than the one used for instrumental, because, although the singing voice makes practically the same wave sounds as a small wind instrument, it has not the amount of overtone. "For illustration make a record of a cornet solo using two horns, small and large, and change the horns two or three times during the process of recording while the machine is running and the artist is playing, the change from the thin tone record through the small horn to the full tone of the large one will become apparent at once. Repeat this experiment with the voice (talking) and the result will be just the reverse. "In reproducing it has been determined, strange as it may seem, that one horn answers for all purposes. A large bell-shaped horn, built on about the same angle as the bell of the brass band instrument called the tuba, reproduces talking, vocal and instrumental records with as great a degree of perfection as is possible to attain. This horn rather aids talking and other vocal efforts as it adds a round fullness to the tone. I do not write the above claiming that all who own a talking machine should have a variety of horns. I merely give my opinion for the benefit of those who have the inclination and time to experiment with a view to better results than they are obtaining at present." Xeoal IRotices. The Phonograph=Graphophone Suits Judge Kirkpatrick, on Dec. 11. filed five decrees in the Circuit Court, at Trenton, N. J., in cases in which Thomas A. Edison and the United States Phonograph Company are interested. The decrees are all assented to by counsel for the parties to the suit, and are as follows : The Edison Phonograph Company vs. Edward O. Rockwood,* for infringement of patented phonogram blank. It is decreed that the defendant be asessed one dollar, and a perpetual injunction issue against him from further infringement. Another decree is given for an infringement of another patent on the same blanks. In this ease Rockwood is also ordered to pay to the Edison Company one dollar, and a third decree discontinues the entire suit. In the suit of the American Graphophoue Co. vs. the Edison Phonograph Works, a decree is entered requiring the defendant to pay to the complainant one dollar, and a perpetual injunction is issued restraining the further infringement of a patented transmitter. A second decree discontinues the action. In the suit brought by the American Graphophone Company against the United States Phonograph Company, of Newark, N. J., G. E. Tewksbury and V. II. Emerson, a decree was entered discontinuing the suit aud dismissing the complainant's bill without costs. *Mr. Rockwood was the New York manager for the Columbia Co., and the American Graphophone Company. Deputy Sheriff Butler has received an attachment against the Cathoscope Electrical Cornany of 50 Broadway for $3,325 in favor of Edwin Hammersehlag. He was to have $5,000 cash and $75,000 stock of the company for the patents. The Cathoscope is an apparatus for exhibiting Roentgen rays. The company was incorporated in June last under West Virginia laws, with a capital stock of $500,000. Raff & Gammon also obtained an attachment against the company lately for $816, but subsequently countermanded it at the sheriff's office.