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c of the clarionet and flute； but was not able to listen to the sound of a bell or tambourine。 Frank knew a man who ran out of church at the beginning of the sounds of an organ； not being able to tolerate them。 Pope could not imagine music producing any pleasure。 The harmonica has been noticed to produce fainting in females。 Fischer says that music provokes sexual frenzy in elephants。 Gutfeldt speaks of a peculiar idiosyncrasy of sleep produced by hearing music。 Delisle mentions a young person who during a whole year passed pieces of ascarides and tenia； during which time he could not endure music。
Autenreith mentions the vibrations of a loud noise tickling the fauces to such an extent as to provoke vomiting。 There are some emotional people who are particularly susceptible to certain expressions。 The widow of Jean Calas always fell in a faint when she heard the words of the death…decree sounded on the street。 There was a Hanoverian officer in the Indian war against Typoo…Saib； a good and brave soldier； who would feel sick if he heard the word 〃tiger〃 pronounced。 It was said that he had experienced the ravages of this beast。
The therapeutic value of music has long been known。 For ages warriors have been led to battle to the sounds of martial strains。 David charmed away Saul's evil spirit with his harp。 Horace in his 32d Ode Book 1； concludes his address to the lyre：
〃O laborum Dulce lenimen mihicumque calve； Rite vocanti；〃
Or； as Kiessling of Berlin interprets：
〃O laborum； Dulce lenimen medieumque； salve； Rite vocanti。〃
〃O； of our troubles the sweet； the healing sedative； etc。〃
Homer； Plutarch； Theophrastus； and Galen say that music cures rheumatism； the pests； and stings of reptiles； etc。 Diemerbroeck； Bonet； Baglivi； Kercher； and Desault mention the efficacy of melody in phthisis； gout； hydrophobia； the bites of venomous reptiles； etc。 There is a case in the Lancet of a patient in convulsions who was cured in the paroxysm by hearing the tones of music。 Before the French Academy of Sciences in 1708； and again in 1718； there was an instance of a dancing…master stricken with violent fever and in a condition of delirium； who recovered his senses and health on hearing melodious music。 There is little doubt of the therapeutic value of music； but particularly do we find its value in instances of neuroses。 The inspiration offered by music is well…known； and it is doubtless a stimulant to the intellectual work。 Bacon； Milton； Warburton； and Alfieri needed music to stimulate them in their labors； and it is said that Bourdaloue always played an air on the violin before preparing to write。
According to the American Medico…Surgical Bulletin； 〃Professor Tarchanoff of Saint Petersburg has been investigating the influence of music upon man and other animals。 The subject is by no means a new one。 In recent times Dagiel and Fere have investigated the effect of music upon the respirations； the pulse； and the muscular system in man。 Professor Tarchanoff made use of the ergograph of Mosso； and found that if the fingers were completely fatigued； either by voluntary efforts or by electric excitation； to the point of being incapable of making any mark except a straight line on the registering cylinder； music had the power of making the fatigue disappear； and the finger placed in the ergograph again commenced to mark lines of different heights； according to the amount of excitation。 It was also found that music of a sad and lugubrious character had the opposite effect； and could check or entirely inhibit the contractions。 Professor Tarchanoff does not profess to give any positive explanation of these facts； but he inclines to the view that 'the voluntary muscles； being furnished with excitomotor and depressant fibers； act in relation to the music similarly to the heartthat is to say； that joyful music resounds along the excitomotor fibers； and sad music along the depressant or inhibitory fibers。' Experiments on dogs showed that music was capable of increasing the elimination of carbonic acid by 16。7 per cent； and of increasing the consumption of oxygen by 20。1 per cent。 It was also found that music increased the functional activity of the skin。 Professor Tarchanoff claims as the result of these experiments that music may fairly be regarded as a serious therapeutic agent； and that it exercises a genuine and considerable influence over the functions of the body。 Facts of this kind are in no way surprising； and are chiefly of interest as presenting some physiologic basis for phenomena that are sufficiently obvious。 The influence of the war…chant upon the warrior is known even to savage tribes。 We are accustomed to regard this influence simply as an ordinary case of psychic stimuli producing physiologic effects。
〃Professor Tarchanoff evidently prefers to regard the phenomena as being all upon the same plane； namely； that of physiology； and until we know the difference between mind and body； and the principles of their interaction； it is obviously impossible to controvert this view successfully。 From the immediately practical point of view we should not ignore the possible value of music in some states of disease。 In melancholia and hysteria it is probably capable of being used with benefit； and it is worth bearing in mind in dealing with insomnia。 Classical scholars will not forget that the singing of birds was tried as a remedy to overcome the insomnia of Maecenas。 Music is certainly a good antidote to the pernicious habit of introspection and self…analysis； which is often a curse both of the hysteric and of the highly cultured。 It would seem obviously preferable to have recourse to music of a lively and cheerful character。〃
Idiosyncrasies of the visual organs are generally quite rare。 It is well…known that among some of the lower animals； e。g。； the turkey…cocks； buffaloes； and elephants； the color red is unendurable。 Buchner and Tissot mention a young boy who had a paroxysm if he viewed anything red。 Certain individuals become nauseated when they look for a long time on irregular lines or curves； as； for examples； in caricatures。 Many of the older examples of idiosyncrasies of color are nothing more than instances of color…blindness； which in those times was unrecognized。 Prochaska knew a woman who in her youth became unconscious at the sight of beet…root； although in her later years she managed to conquer this antipathy； but was never able to eat the vegetable in question。 One of the most remarkable forms of idiosyncrasy on record is that of a student who was deprived of his senses by the very sight of an old woman。 On one occasion he was carried out from a party in a dying state； caused； presumably； by the abhorred aspect of the chaperons The Count of Caylus was always horror…stricken at the sight of a Capuchin friar。 He cured himself by a wooden image dressed in the costume of this order placed in his room and constantly before his view。 It is common to see persons who faint at the sight of blood。 Analogous are the individuals who feel nausea in an hospital ward。
All Robert Boyle's philosophy could not make him endure the sight of a spider； although he had no such aversion to toads； venomous sna