THE AMMONIAPHONE.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 83, 3 January 1885, Page 3

THE AMMONIAPHONE.

Ox is of the few auimoniaphones that havo yet roacliod New Zealand has been forwarJcd to Mr 11. Brett. This curious in ventiou, which is intended to transmit Italian air into the lungs, and givo every one who uses it an Italian voice, is of much interest to the munical world. For nearly thirty years has Dr. Motlat, the inventor, experimented on all kinds of chemical materials io improve both tho speaking and singing voice. Even when a boy, he thought that Italian air must be the cause of the beauty of Italian voices, and as hegrew up and became a professor of chemistry he made the subject his constant study, and never ceased his experiments on himself. ! Ten years ago he went to Italy, where he grow more than ever persuaded that Italian air made Italian voices. He analysed this air, and discovered in ib certain chemical compounds not previously known. On his return to Scotland, he at once set about to produce an aitificial air exactly like- the natural air of Italy. Jle then became so full of his invention that he resigned his professor's chair in Glasgow, and retired to work on a country farm, which he fitted up as a laboratory, and where lie worked for nine years, sacrificing monoy, position, everything to his invention, which, in the opinion of scientific inon, is destinod to improve the tone, power, and range of the human voice, whether for speaking or singing. The medical press, strange to say, does not opposo the ammoniophone, but wishes all kinds of success to it and to its inventor. According to Dr. Moffat, a weakoned voice is restored to youthful freshness after a few weeks' use of the ammoniaphone. Musical instruments may also bo improved, he says, by being steeped in tho compound used m tho ammoniaphono.