Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1916 — SEEING WITH EARS [ARTICLE]

SEEING WITH EARS

Science Promises Much for the Afflicted of War. Marvelous Instrument Being Perfected Which Enables the Blind to Detect Light by Means of the Ear. London. —Many brave fellows who Test this country in the pride of manhood are bound to return suffering from serious defects, but fortunately, clever devices are being perfected to render their lot easier. Hitherto we have looked upon blindness as an appalling affliction, but already discoveries have been made which will do much to improve the condition of those who do not possess natural sight. There is every hope 'for believing that science shortly will provide new eyes, or rather new means for seeing. Much progress has been made with this object in view. The retina, marvelous as it is, is merely a highly nervous, special kind of skin. There are creatures whose sense of sight consists of their whole body. Hence there is nothing improbable dn~the_view that eventually the human skin maybetrainedtpreceive impressions of light, and so to act as the organ of sight. There is being perfected a marvelous instrument which enables the blind to detect a light by means of the ear. By its aid a blind person not only can recognize light, but can locate it and even measure its intensity. The instrument is doubtless the begtnning of animportant series of in-~ ventions. So far it merely places a blind person in the position of one who is partially blind, that is, who is able to detect the presence of light. Before long, it is hoped that the existing instrument will be greatly improved, although in any form it will merely be the starting point on the road to a great victory. There is a special substance, selenium, which has its electrical reSistence altered, by light;, it is due to this substance that it is "possible to send photographs from one place to another by means of an electrical wire. In the new instrument the selenium operates a kind of telephone. A pair of these telephones are placed on the hand, and are attached to a little camera containing the selenium. Assuming this is adjusted for darkness, no sound will be heard when the individual is in darkness. Afi soon noiaef is heard which varies in loudness according to the intensity of the light, Thus moonlight. makes a distinct noise, while a considerable roaring sound is heard as.the effect of sqnlight.' ■' : ~ 7 77 In practice it has been found best

to arrange the apparatus so that the brightest light produces silence, but the less intense the light the greater the noise. Thus a blind person fitted with this apparatus can easily tell when he passes into a shadow. If in a room, he can tell when he is passing a window or doorway. Moreover, the passage of anybody between the light and the blind person will greatly affect the instrument. Many wonderful effects have been obtained. At present all the instrument does .is to inform the blind person whether he is in light or darkness, and the degree or either. This, however, is a long stride towards the solution of the problem of seeing without eyes. Fortunately it is possible to afford aid more easily in the case of those who are deafened as a result of explosions and so on. Science has already done much to cope with deafness by providing artificial ear drums. Very delicate microphones can now be obtained which greatly magnify sounds, rendering them within the Rapacity of persons who normally hear with difficulty. There are instruments in use to convey sounds by way of the mouth instead of through the ears. .... Hearing is merely the result of vibrations of sound beating upon the drum of the ear, this being communicated to the brain by a series of nerves. Deafness is a defect in this means of communication. Now, a person can hear distinctly by means of his teeth; this can easily be proved by placing one end of a pocket knife in the mouth and the other end on a piano. In a similar way, one may communicate sound waves to the brain through any other bony substance, even the skull itself. Starting from these facts an apparatus has been devised which when attached to the head will act as an artificial ear. The fact is that we do not see with our eyes, hear with our ears, smell with our nose, taste with our tongue, or feel with our skin. It is the brain which acts in every case, and the very useful organs mentioned only act as suitable apparatus for the collection and transmission. \ . In each case certain sorts of vibration are set up, those passing by means of the nerves to the brain. It is very interesting in this respect to notice how persons suffering from some physical .disability frequently “feel’’ sensations in parts that have been amputated, the explanation being Somewhat allied fact is that a blow over the head will give a sensation of light, vibrations being set up and means of the nerves to the brain.