Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1910 — HEALING BY MUSIC [ARTICLE]

HEALING BY MUSIC

Dyspeptic Eats to Tune of “Old Oaken Bucket.” iAnother Sufferer In Hospital Relieved of Pain by Strain “Last Rose of Bummer" In Musical Tests on Sick. Philadelphia.—The newest science, ,"which is also dne of the oldest, is the science of healing by music. Tests j* re being made in the Samaritan hospital under the supervision of the Rev. Dr. Russell Conwell, its president, famous for his eloquence on the (lecture platform. Nurses who aided In making obserwations unite in testifying to the beneIflcial effect of certain musical airs fupon the temperature and pulsations °f patients and the evil and depressing influence of other tunes. They found that “I Know My Redeemer Liveth” brought patients out lof trances of anaesthesia with none ;of the nausea and feverish symptoms that usually attend an awakening. They found that fever was abated And restlessness reduced by “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton;” that “Dixie” calmed a patient who had delirium, jand that “Juanita” and “The Last jßose of Summer” sent pain-racked (invalids into soothing healing sleep. The following is a partial list of well known hymns and musical selections reported to have been found helpfu] to sick and well persons alike: "The Old Oaken Bucket,” “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton," “Listen to the Mocking Bird," “Dixie,” “Juanita," “The Last Rose of Summer,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Old Folkß at Home,” “My Maryland," “Yankee Doodle,” "America,” “Auld Lang Syne,” “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” “Rock of Ages,” "Nearer, My

God, to Thee,” “Shall We Gather at the River,” “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth." The following were found to be injurious: “Dead March” from “Saul," “Home Sweet Home,” "Do They Think of Me at Home?” “Old Cabin Home,” “Old Black Joe,” “Star Spangled Banner,” “Abide With Me." “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?" “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken,” "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me,” and “Stand Up for Jesus.” The hymn, “The Hour of Trial,"' was found to be one of the most depressing in the list. In one experiment, nineteen patients were brought into one ward suffering from all kinds of diseases. Several were under the effects of morphine or other anaesthetics. A soloist sang, “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.” The effect on the patients was soothing and pleasant, although no special note was made of the effect on the heart action. Those patients under the Influence of morphine began to awaken, without fear or wandering of the mind. One patient, a dyspeptic unable to take food, was found to be no far influenced by the playing of "The Old Gakenßucket” that she was able to eat. Another, partly Insane, became calm and reasonable while the organ played “Dixie.”