Testimony from the Inter-Ocean.

(Date, Sept, 4, 1879.)

"Yesterday afternoon a number of interested gentlemen assembled in one of the parlors of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, on Clark Street, to gather some information relative to the audiphone. This little machine is the invention of Mr. Richard S. Rhodes, of the firm of Rhodes & McClure, and is intended to be used by those who have wholly or partially lost the sense of hearing.

The audiphone is very simple in construction, and without any mechanism. It is apparently a black polished india rubber or "vulcanite" fan, the leaf part being square with rounded corners, the material very flexible, so that the page 15 leaf can, if necessary, be bent double. One side has cords attached from the thin end or top of the flap of the fan to the handle. When these cords are drawn tight they curve down the flap or leaf of the audiphone, which is then fixed for use. It is used by the deaf by applying the thin edge of the fan to the four front teeth of the upper jaw.

There were several deaf mutes present, who were experimented upon. Mr. Charles Day was the first of these. Fixing the audiphone to his teeth he repeated quite audibly the monosyllabic sounds "boo, hoo," which Mr. Rhodes recited to him. To prove that he had not imitated the sounds from watching the illustrator's lips, Mr. Day was blindfolded and then also showed conclusively, by repeating two more sounds, that this was a bona-fide triumph of the audiphone. Without the apparatus Mr. Day could only be communicated with by the deaf-mute sign language. Mr. Day, who is an intelligent young fellow, is enthusiastic with regard to the audiphone. He has for the first time by its aid heard the sound of his own voice. To The Inter-Ocean reporter he stated, via the interpreter, that he was satisfied with the audiphone, and repeated the word "water" so as to be understood, which he had learned by means of these "new spectacles for the ears."

A gentleman who was very hard of hearing tested the audiphone and found it of great benefit. Several other experiments were made, and were in each case more, or less successful.

Among those who were in the audience were the Rev. Professor Swing, the Rev. L. M. Stone, and Dr. Gray, of the Interior; Dr. J. C. Tallerday, of the Medical Times; Dr. Brophy, and representatives of The Inter-Ocean and other daily journals."