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By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN
will admit without
I question that a person
1 I entirely deaf is badly
IjTliL-jyj handicapped. You pre
sumably can figure out.
’O' putting your imagina
tlon at work with your
experience, what a very different
world tlds would be if ail its inhabi
tants had always been unable to hear
sound. The importance of sound in
the manifold activities of human life
is inestimable.
Sound, for us, consists of air vibra
tions plus the human ear. Is the
human ear any more perfect than the
human eye? The microscope, to say
nothing of the telescope, Ims revealed
"to us an entirely new world beyond
.man's unaided vision—and a world of
.inestimable importance.
JS'ow comes the “Ultra-Audible
Microphone’’ to reveal to us the new
world of sound that is beyond the
power of tlie human ear. Its possible
disclosures aie purely guesswork.
They may be as important to man as
the disclosures of the microscope.
'Science owes most of its knowledge
of the mechanism of the human ear
to the telephone industry, which, in
its search for a perfect telephone, was
forced to study the mysteries of human
speech and hearing. And here Is the
way the human ear works: The ear
that we see is merely the sound
catcher. Entering, the sound tirst en
counters the ear-drum, which it vi
brates. Next are three little hones
which magnify these vibrations. To
the last bone is attached a smnll
-liquid-tilled sack In the form of a
spiral.
Inside this sack is the true organ
of hearing. Take this organ out and
uncoil it and you have a little ladder
about an inch and a quarter long, with
several thousand separate rungs set
closely together and longer at one end
>f the ladder than at the other. Each
rung Is a separate, living fiber and
each has its tiny nerve through which
it sends its message to the brain.
Shrill sounds affect the short rungs
of the ladder; deep sounds the other
end. If the ladder Is Imperfect, hear
ing Is imperfect. Deep sounds are
produced by slow vibrations of the
air; shrill sounds by rapid vibrations.
There are persons who cannot hoar
high notes at all: others hear low
notes imperfectly. Incidentally, some
day we shall see people wearing “ear
spectacles,” just ns people wear glasses
for defective vision.
Study of the radio broadcasting
problem brought about the Invention
of the ultra-audible microphone. Dr.
Phillips Thomas of the research staff
of the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing company is the in
ventor-lie is shown here listening in
on a tuolh. Practically all radio trans
mitters depend for their operation
upon a thin disk of metal called a
diaphragm. No diaphragm to date
responds perfectly to musical sounds
that have a very high number of vibra
tions. Dr. Thomas was working to
remedy this defect. Says S. M. Kint
ner, director of the company's research
laboratories:
“The best way to gain some con
ception of the possible importance of
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‘ultra-audible sounds’ is to realize that
the normal person is in the same re
lation to these sounds as the stone
deaf person is to audible sounds.
Above tlie range of the human ear
there is possibly a vastly greater va
riety of sounds which ought to be
just as useful to us as are audible
sounds. The ultra-audible microphone
should be to the ear what the micro
scope Is to the eye. Just what it will
bring 11s, no one can say. But every
invention that has extended the range
of our senses has revolutionized our
ideas, and this one is likely to do the
same.
“Sound, of course, consists of air
vibrations. When the rate of these
vibrations is slow, say around 40
times a second, we hear a deep bass
note. When the vibrations number
250 we hear the note tve call ‘middle
C.’ At 12,000 vibrations per second
we reach the upper limit of musical
sound for most ears. At 20,000 vibra
tions per second the sound passes be
yond the reach of ordinary human
hearing. The air can, however, vibrate
at rates up to a million or more times
a second, and it is highly probable
that it is constantly doing so. Hence,
there is a range of sounds, from 20,000
vibrations per second upwards to an
unknown limit, of which we have hith
erto lived in complete ignorance but
which can now be studied by us.
“The instrument Invented by Dr.
Thomas consists essentially of a ring
of insulating material in which two
small electrodes are inserted diamet
rically opposite to each other. A high
voltage is applied to these electrodes
and there forms between them a ‘glow
discharge,’ which is neither a spark
nor an arc, but a streak of soft,
purplish light. Tills glow-discharge
was found by Dr. Thomas to have the
peculiar property of being affected by
sound waves as conveyed by the air.
When the sound waves strike it, it vi
brates in sympathy with them and in
doing so causes exactly correspond
! ing changes in the flow of current to
the electrodes.
“Telephone and radio transmitters
are vibrated by sound. This makes
the electric transmission of speech
possible. Unfortunately, however, no
diaphragm that lias so far been de
signed responds perfectly to sounds
having vibrations above 4.(XX> times a
second. Since many musical sounds
have vibrations higher than this rate,
uiusie broadcast by such transmit
ters is not perfect. I'r. Thomas was
given the task of remedying this de
fect and discovered the fact that the
glow-discharge would vibrate in per
fect sympathy with every possible
i sound and hence was able to transmit
THE DANIELSVILLE MONITOR, DANIELSVILLE, GEORGIA.
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been removed, however, and the next
instrument can now be made availabh
for scientific purposes. The Westing
house engineers will pursue studies ol
the ultra-audible field, but in all like
lihood will confine their attention tc
subjects of immediate practical im
portance.
“The potential value of such an in
vestigation is evident if we considei
an allied field, namely, ether vibra
tions. For a long time men knew
only two kinds of ether vibrations—
heat and visible light. Since tlier
scientific research lias added othei
forms of ether vibrations,- such as the
X-rays, electric waves, ultra-violet ot
actinic rays, and radio waves. The
great usefulness of all of these dif
ferent forms of vibrations is common
knowledge. Ultra-audible sound vibra
tions may prove to be equally valu
able in many ways.”
Col. George Fabyan may find his
sound experiments facilitated by the
use of the ultra-audible microphone.
Colonel Fubyan’s 550-acre estate neai
Geneva, 111., contains world-famous
laboratories devoted in part to the
study of sound. There he is devot
ing his fortune to the solving of sci
entific enigmas. He is working on a
big scale. There are 35 buildings on
his int erbank estate, as all the scien
tific workers live in special houses
under a colony system. Colonel
Fabyan himself has achieved fame as
a cryptologist, an expert in the cipher
ing and deciphering of codes. Uncle
Sam turned to him for aid in the
World war and at one time more than
200 student officers were quartered
there. Laboratory activities in
codes, trench warfare and munitions
cost this patriotic American at least
a quarter of a million during the
World war.
The sound laboratory—one of a
dozen —contains a building within a
building. This inside building has
special foundations and walls and is
sound-proof, both front the outside and
on the inside. In it is a collection of
73 organ pipes that range in size and
tone. A piano, chimes and the largest
collection of tuning forks in the world
are also available. The transmission,
reflection and absorption of sound are
here studied perhaps more compre
hensively than anywhere else on
cart it. In addition to the study ol
sound mechanics the experts are at
work on the functions and peculiari
ties of the human ear.
Colonel Fabyan is not much more
communicative about certain unusual
researches in sound than the “silent
Sphinx” mentioned by Senator Pat
Harrison in his keynote speech at the
Democratic convention. But it is
known that some extraordinary dis
eoverles will be made public soonc
or later by the Riverbank labora
tories.
music perfectly foi
broadcasting pur
poses.
“But its greatei
possibilities soon be
came evident. As
far as can be deter
mined, the glow-dis
charge will respond
to any vibration up
to the uttermost
limit, whatever that
may be. Hence by
its use, all sounds
in the ultra-audible
region can be identi
fied and studied witl
ease.
“Until recently
the Thomas micro
phone was in an ex
perimental state and
Dr. Thomas himsell
was the only persor
able to make it per
form properly. The
imperfections have
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Bungalow Most Convenient and
Practical of All Small Homes
By WILLIAM A. RADFORD
Mr. William A. Radford will answer
questions and give advice FREE OF
COST on all subjects pertaining to the
subject of building, for the readers of
this paper. On account of his wide
experience as Editor, Author and
Manufacturer, he is, without doubt,
tlie highest authority on all these sub
jects. Address all inquiries to William
A. Radford, No. 1527 Prairie avenue.
Chicago, 111., and only inclose two-cent
stamp for reply.
For the smaller homes where the
housewife does her own work the
building experience of years has sug
gested nothing more convenient and
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practical than the bungalow. And,
happily, this type of building lias been
developed until it may be built with
an attractiveness exceeded by few, if
any, other types of homes.
The house illustrated here is an
excellent example of hotv a small
home may be built to have the com
fort and advantage usually associated
with more pretentious residences.
The exterior of this home finds much
of its charm in the fact that it is not
burdened with superfluous ornamenta
tion. The porch, with its arched en
trance, is inviting and the adjoining
terrace with its trellis will be most
Waxing Floors
A good method of treating oak
floors, and one which permits of a very
high gloss tvaxed finish, is as follows:
After thoroughly cleaning ttie floors,
taking care that no dust is present, give
the floor a coat of high-grade floor var
nish, and when thoroughly dry rub
smooth with mineral wool, then apply
second coat. After tlds is thoroughly
drv, again rub smooth with mineral
wool and tire floor is ready to be
waxed and polished.
The greatest care should be taken
that the floors are thoroughly free
from dust or dirt in order that the fin
ish may not be marred hy dust spots
or lumps, which will be the case if dirt
and dust is not thoroughly removed.
Crushed Stone Driveway
Crushed stone makes a very satis
factory driveway and can be built at
i less cost than concrete and is an
item of considerable importance to
the home owner, who must arrange
an outlet from his garage especially
Pi suburban districts where no allej
■*d joins.
Crushed stone rfineed to a dCDth
attractive when proper planting in
closes it in a living wall of green.
The front entrance from the porch
goes directly into the living room, 19
by 15 feet. The charm of this room
is insured by the fireplace and the
excellent lighting and ventilation. To
the right of the living room, as yon
enter, is the dining room, 15 l.y 13!
feet, with its wall spaces arranged
nicely to accommodate the required
pieces of furniture.
The kitchen will be found to be
especially well arranged and of a she
to permit the most convenient and
Floor Plan.
efficient working arrangement. The
built-in cases are on either side of t a*
sink and working space, which is di
rectly in front of a window, assures
the worker an abundance of fight aD “
a cheerful outlook. A service porch
to the rear adds Its quota of con
venience.
The bedrooms and the bath a
reached through a hall opening from
the living room.
The bedrooms are well lighted ana
ventilated and well provided " ,ta
closet space. The bath has ooen
placed in a suitable place in the t oo
plan.
of aboijt four inches will be sufficien
and should be of a nrtxed size, so that
the spaces can be quickly filled, an
will require a smaller amount ‘ e
screenings, which are applied and a
lowed to fill in the cavities. These
screenings act much in the natun <
cement and form a very close bonu
the larger-sized stones.
It is well for one to keep on a—l
a couple of barrels of the sertvninfS
for redressing the surface in 1 - ''
which, from time to time, return e a
ditlonal filling.
Mirror Is Valuable
A mirror In a lovel y fra me
act eristic period design Is s
of intrinsic value. It w;h ■
bring beauty into a room, but ••
confirm the period atmosp. e
is essayed. For example, then
Chippendale type modeled m
art with its delicate and eh>.
sign; the Hepplewhite, w;r
details, shield-shaped or oval , n ‘
the motif in the chair backs. ," n _
ty Sheraton, or the more ou
stitution style.