The Influence of Music upon Electrocardiograms and Blood Pressure

The object of the experiment of which only the beginning is here briefly summarized, is to ascertain the effect of different kinds of music upon the heart and blood pressure in individuals who are known to have musical talent and are fond of music; also in persons who are indifferent and have no fondness for music, in neurasthenics and in some animals. The cardiograms were recorded with the Einthoven string galvanometer, its sensitivity was I cm. deflection per one millivolt; the film speed was 2.5 cm. per second. The time marker recorded 6 second, and lead 2 was adopted for comparison, for all of the records. The pulse and pressure were obtained with a Tycos and a modified form of Erlanger’s sphygmomanometer, and the music from Victrola records. The pieces of music selected were first, Tschaikowsky’s death symphony, characterized by its tragic slow minor movements; and second, the Toreador’s brilliant description of the bull fight from Carmen; and third, the National Emblem, a stirring rhythmical march by Sousa. The effects of other pieces of music had been tested but the results seemed to indicate that the effects of those pieces that were familiar to the subjects, were influenced also by associated memory. The data from subject “A” who is fond of music and whose voice has been cultivated, were checked up with those of two other subjects, but his being most complete were chosen for presentation. The experiments were conducted under fairly constant subjective and weather conditions, and about the same hours of the day. The cardiograms, pulse and pressure curves were secured before and immediately after, and also from five to ten minutes after the music had ceased. But while listening to the music, only the cardiograms were taken because it seemed that the latter were affected by the manipula-