The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

THE PHONOSCOPE January-February, 189? '(Srapbs, pbones anb 'Scopes The Sphygmograph One of the most intricate and wonderful instruments used in the science of medicine is what is called the sphyinograph. As every one knows, when you call a doctor in, the firfet thing he does is to feel your pulse. Before he can prescribe he must know exactly what your heart is doing, and the action of the heart manifests itself through the beating of the pulse. A strong heart produces a strong, firm wave or swell in the pulse, and vice versa. What the sphymograph does is to trace clearly on a sheet of paper, by means of a very fine point, in irregular, up-and-down, zig-zag strokes, every one of these waves, so that the doctor can have a chart marking the various beatings of the patient's heart. The instrument is attached to the wrist by means of a broad silk band (not unlike the baud used by persons with weak wrists), and fastened to the band is a small button which presses on the pulse artery. The pulsations acting on this button, move a pointed marker up and down and across the surface of a slip of paper, which is kept moving by means of a delicate piece of mechanism within the instrument. In this manner irregular tracings are produced and an accurate short-hand record kept of the movements of the heart. The Eophone There has just been tested on the battleship Indiana and on two ships of the Old Dominion line, a wonderful invention, which will be a great factor in preventing collisions and rendering navigation safe in foggy weather. It is called the eophone, and is the invent iou of a Virginian of French extraction ; an obscure student by the came of La Torrey. The eophone is a big square box, fitted inside with the most delicate mechanism, for detecting at a great distance a sound which would be entirely inaudible to the unaided ear. .N'ot only this, but the instrument shows with absolute precision the direction of the sound. It merely has to be turned about, and when the transmitter is directly opposite the sound it can readily be told. The eophone is carried on mastless ships, on top of the pilot house, bnt where there is a forward mast, it has to be swung forward on a long brass rod, which may easily be turned about in a semicircle to determine the direction of the sound. Such an obstruction as a mast in front of it would destroy the effect of a faint sound upon the delicate machinery of the instrument. The test has been in almost every respect an entire success. The instrument does all that is claimed for it, and the captains who have used it say they would feel safe in a fog with the eophone in front. The swift steamers upon which it was tried created such a breeze while under way that the rushing of the wind in the receiver drowned all the sounds it was designed to catch, but this was remedied by stretching a piece of silk gauze over the mouth of the transmitter. This shuts out the harsher sounds of the ship, but seems to intensify the delicate noises the instrument is used to locate. The eophone may be adopted by the Government as a necessary to safe navigation in fogs In that event its inventor and the manufacturers will reap a fortune, for the little box costs $1,000 for every .ship to which it is fitted. The Phonendoscope You can hear yourself wink ! A wonderful machine has been invented by which the hitherto imperceptible sound of the action of the eyelid is made clear and distinct to the ear. The invention is called the phonendoscope. The new wonder was designed to be used by physicians and surgeons for detecting the presence of disease by sound. With its aid it will be possible for the medical world to prepare a perfect chart, which will enumerate the sound of every disease known, and to instantly detect that sound with an application of the phonendoscope. The delicate instrument; the construction of which has much in common with that of the human car, is so sensitive that the faintest breath upon a disc sends a wave current through the box against the ear-drum of the listening person. Not only can this breath upon the disc be heard, but its force in transit is multiplied a thousandfold, so that when it reaches the ears it sounds like the roaring of a gale of wind at sea. Tapping the disc lightly with the fingers sends a sound into the ears like the tramping of many horses, and the wink of an eyelid gives forth a sound like the fall of heavy waters. It is a sort of microphone about the size of a large watch, having a short staff like the thin part of a stethoscope at the base, and a number of flexible tubes attached to the upper part of the box, where by to convey the sounds to the ears of the operators. The name is the compound of three Greek words and signifies : Seeing sound within a body, and this is what it really does. The Scentograph A machine which is claimed to take its place by the side of the phonograph has been invented by Louis Kramer, a Missourian, who moved to Binghampton, N. T. , about a year ago. It is used to receive and magnify odors of all kinds and is called a scentograph. A patent is to be applied for, but it has been already practically tested. It will take a liquid heretofore regarded as odorless and distill the most delicate perfume. A drop of perfumery or essence placed on the receiver will produce an odor that would in a very short time cause symptoms of suffocation. The grocer might utilize it in detecting adulteration in goods, while it has been suggested that bank paper can be tinctured with a special scent, imperceptible to the ordinary sense of smell, but which could be easily detected when placed in the scentograph, lessening liability of counterfeiting. It is also claimed that the machine will be popular in homes, hospitals, sick rooms, where the air can be kept permeated by most delightful fragrance. The machine is about twelve inches square and eight high. Mr. Kramer says it can be manufactured for $50. It is thought he will have no trouble in obtaining financial aid for organizing a company to place it on the market as soon as the patent is granted. The Delineascope The delineascope is a new instrument for military and topographical surveying. It consists of a small portable camera having a lens with a fixed focus. The lens is directed downward, and has beneath it a mirror inclined at an angle of fifteen degrees to the axis of the lens. This throws a picture of the landscape, witli right and left reversed , on the tracing paper on a horizontal object glass. It is then possible, by using a focusing glass, to trace the main features of the landscape on the paper, which is then reversed on a card ruled in squares similar to those in the note book into which the sketch is to be copied and recorded. The details can then be added by the eye, and the more exact numerical data entered on the margiu of the page. If terns of IFnterest From every part of the country enthusiastic reports continue to reach us of the great success, financial and otherwise, of the picture enlarging, projecting and animating devices. Whatever may be the real condition of the country at the present time, it is remarkable the amount of money which people have to spend on theatres whenever there is a special attraction presented to them. During the display of Edison's Vitascope the theatres have been so crowded that man} people had to be turned away for want of room. The spectacle merits this attention fully ; it is perfectly wonderful. — Milwaukee Sentinel. Nicola Tesla, the electrician, is credited with saying that he believes a man might live 200 years if he would sleep most of the time. That is why negroes often live to advanced old age — because they sleep so mnch. He also alluded to the current report that Mr. Gladstone now sleeps seventeen hours every day. Edison recently told a reporter that he frequently went for forty -eight hours without sleep, and sometimes for seventy. Following such a period of work, he often sleeps for eighteen hours at a stretch. The celebrated inventor smokes enough large, black cigars to break down an ordinary constitution, but he seems to get more robust of physique as he grows older. He is within a few months of his fiftieth year. The living photograph machine craze is upon Gotham in its most virulent shape. Beginning with the vitascope, the disease ran the various stages of cinematographe, kineopticon, biograph and contoscope, terminating finally in cinographoscope. The auimatograph and theaterscope, both of which are raging in London, have not yet found their way over on the steamships.— Pittsburg Dispatch. [We beg leave to correct our Pittsburg friends. The animatograph and theaterscope are being exhibited in this country, and are both meeting with great success. — Ed.] Experiments are now being made with a machine which, if it is found to meet expectations, is likely to replace that often interesting but always pitiable product of city streets, the newsboy, with an efficient substitute that has no morals to be corrupted or evil associations, no flesh and blood to suffer from cruel exposure, and no future to be ruined by lack of education. Certain self-styled "friends of the poor" have raised a cry of indignation at what they call an attempt to rob many an humble home of much-needed pennies. The indiguation is either imbecile or insincere. Anything that keeps children from the streets, that prevents the utilization of child labor, is to be commended and furthered by every sensible person. The same pretended sentimentality that is now protesting that to take his wretched occupation from the newsboy is cruel, was equally vociferous a few years ago when little girls were freed from the same horrible slavery. There is almost as much need for the proposed reform as for that one. — A'. Y. IHmes. There are eight storage battery roads iu Europe, four of which were installed during the past year. The largest system of this type comprises three roads in Paris, operating nineteen storage battery cars, some of which have been doing duty since 1802, and the addition of a third road last May seems to indicate that for the conditions there existing the storage battery has proved satisfactory. The other four roads are located one at Birmingham, England ; one at Hague-Scheveningen, Holland, and two iu Austria-Hungary.