A Musical Instrument of Human Heads.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2899, 15 May 1888, Page 3

A Musical Instrument of Human Heads.

The (intlii'opoplione, a musical instrument mado from human bends, £ has, according to the New York PI Morning Journal, just been introduced into New York society. Tho instrument was invented by a lady, culled " Professor" by the singing heads, who proposes to go on the road with the novelty and make her fortune, Tho following account is given of the first performanceA small platform had been constructed at one end of the parlour, and a white curtain hid the interior from viow, Looking out from circular holes cut in tlio curtain were the faces of half a dozen ladies and the same number of men, the effect appearing as if tbo heads were suspended by some invisible means, The construction of the instrument is simple, Eiye strips of black material are sewn across the curtain to represent the lines of the musical stall'. These should bo nt least eight inches apart, The sign of tlio clef is then made, the lines to indicate tho stem of each note, Tho positions of tho singeis are then arranged so that the faces fit in the proper places on the scale, Then the anthropophone is ready . for business. What ■ would you like Jn. the anthropophono to sing ?" asked the ™ Professor of the audience. "The letter that never came" shouted one, The . / .Boston lady waved her baton and the anthropophono rendered the song in lirst-class style. Then she "ran the scale "up and down several times as on a piauo, the only error being duo to one of the' tenors who happened to sneeze, at which all tho girls composing the instrument laughed loudly. " Now we shall give you "Sweet Violets," said tho Professor, and this Boston favourite was played or sung excellently, The reporter was permitted to go behind the curtain, and the scene ■ presented was a curious and laughable ono, The ladies comprising the treble clef were elevated on a platform, above the basses and tenors on tho lower staff. Their heads were invisiblo and they reminded ?n observer of the body of a hen with its cackling apparatus missing. When the" notes" grew tired of standing up with their heads poked through the curtain they were permitted to sit down and take it com- :! 0 fort ably. A Veritable Curio. A curio, in the shape of an old fashioned whale harpoon head, lias been lelt at the Auckland Star office by Captain Farquhar, of the Clansmau, It is marked" London," and is of the type in use from thirty to thirty-five years ago. It was extracted by Captain Chase, of the whaler Niger, at present at Russell, from a fourteen ton sperm whale lie captured off the East Cape h on March 20th last. The weapon was |®' deeply imbedded in the blubber, and a large lump had formed over it. The iron plainly shows where the water has acted on it, the other part being comparatively bright and in an excellent state of preservation, having been protected by the blubber, It must have been in the whale at least twenty years, if not a great many more. The last London whaler that was out in these waters, so Captain Fisher, deputy harbormaster, slates,wastlie Oflley, that was lost some four years back, and she had been in the trade here for over twenty years, The harpoon was fired from a gun, and is a _ —.ii a... ~

cuno well worthy of a place in the museum, as very few of the same style are to be found now. 1 Kerosene and Diptheria. A well-known doctor says that the fumes o? kerosene when tho lamp ia turned down low are likely to cause diptheria, The New York Board of , Health a few years ago, decided than & to this, more than fc) any other cause, the prevalence of the disease was to be attributed. This is given as accounting for the fact that diptheria generally begins to spread with the advent of short days and lung nights. Children dislike to j»o to bed in the dark, and the kind mother lets the lamp remain in the bedroom, usually turning down A* the flamo so that the light will not keep the child awake. Many bedrooms are thus semi-lighted all night, and (he windows being closed or raised but slightly, the atmospheric condition is 3imply deathly. A turned down kerosine lamp is a magazins of deadly gas that the healthiest lungs cannot be safely exposed to. Important Discovery in the Acropolis, Recently there was a most important discovery in the excavations on the Acropolis. Towards evening, near tho south-eastern corner o£ the Parthenon, a large head ot a male statue was brought to light, It is made of porous Htone. exhibits traces of brilliant

BUJIU?, exmuiui wiww ui imuirtui/ j coloring, and .is stated to be more ancient than anything yet discovered in the Acropolis, and quite unique, It | " is believed to bo the head of a Triton, 'and to belong to a serpent-like body ending in the tail of a fish, discovered a ' few days ago. Excavations are being vigorously carried on by the Geceks, as well as by the French, German, and . American schools in various parts of j th&eountry, We English are conspicu- ; oris'by our absence. WE SHOULD BLOT OUT DISEASES IN ITS EARLY STAGES. The disease commences with ft sligli derangement of the stomach, but, if neglected, it in time involves the wholo frame, embracing tbo kidneys, liver, pancreas, and in fact the entire glandular system ; and the afflicted drags out a miserable existence until death gives • relief from sufferin". The disease is often mistaken for other complaints; but if the reader will ask himself the follow: ing questions he will be ablo to determine whether he himself is one of the afflicted—Have I distress, pain or difficulty in breathing after eating ! Is there a dull heavy feeling, attended by drowsiness ? *Have the eyes a yellow tinge 1 Does a ' thick, Bticky, mucous gather about the mouth and teeth in the mornings, accompanied by a disagreeable taste ? Is the . tonguo coated? Is there pain in the t- sides and back. Is thore a fullness about the right sides as if the liver were enlarging 1 Is there costiveness 1 Is there vertigo or dizziness when rising suddenly from an horizontal position ? Are the secretions Jpt the kitooya highly'

coloured, with a deposit after standing ? Does food ferment soon after eating,' accompanied by flatnlenco or belching of gas from tho slomach Ms there frequent palpitation of tlw heart. These various! symptoms may not'be present at ono! time, but they torumnt tho sufferer iu j turn as tho dreadful disease progresses, j If tho case bo ono of long standing,! there will bo a dry, hacking cough, attended after a timo by expect ration, In very advanced age tho skin assumes a I dirty; brownish appearance, and tlio hand and feet aro covered by a cold, stcky perspiration. As the livor and idneys becomo more and more deceased lieu in a pams appear, and tho usual beutment pTves entirely unavailin< ngains the latter agonising disorder Tho origin ( this malady is indigestion or dyspejjsia. and a small quantity of tho proper raodicino will remove the disease if taken in it incipieney. It is most important that the disease should be promptly and properly treated in its first stages, when a little medicine will affect a cure, and even when it has obtained a strong hold the correct remedy should ho persevered in until every vestige of,the ■Jiseasciscradicatcd, until thoappe tite has returned, and the digostivo organs restored to a healthy condition this surest and nio3t effectual remedy for The distressing complaint is "Soigol's Curative Syrup, a vegetable preparation sold by all chemists and medicine vendors throughout the world, and by the proprietors, A, J. White, Limited, London, E.C, This Syrup strikes ao the very foundation of the disease, and drives it root and branch out of tho system. Ask your Chemist for Seigol's Curative Syrup. "East street Mills, Cambridge Heath, 'London, E.U., July 24,1882 " Sir,—it gives mo great pleasure to be able to add my testimony in favor of your valuable Syrup as a curativo agent. 1 had Buffered for some length of time from a severo form of indigestion, and tho long strain of distressing symptoms following that disease, I had tried all the best medical advice- 1 had swallowed sufficient of their stuff to float a man of war, so to speak, but of no avail. A friend of mine, coming on tho scene in the midst of my sufferings, brought with him a bottlo of your Seigel Syrup ; lie advised me to try it, stating he felt confident that it would benefit mo Being weary of trying so many drugs, I condemned it before trial, thinking it could not possibly do me any good, but ultimately determined to take the Syrup. After doing so for a short time it worked such a change iu me that 1 continued taking at for nearly two months, and I then ws thoroughly cured, for I have discontinued its use fur live weeks, and feel in tho best of health, and can partake and nky of food with ease and comfort, I am therefore thankful to you that, through the instrumentality of your valuable medicine, I am restored to tho state of health I now enjoy