F Galton devised this whistle in order to investigate the upper limit of audible sound in humans. It is constructed from a brass tube which has an internal diameter of approximately 2 millimetres. The whistle was operated by passing a jet of gas through an orifice into a resonating cavity. By moving a plunger, the size of this cavity could be changed, enabling the pitch of the sound made by the whistle to be altered from the audible up into the ultrasonic range. Galton was able to determine that the normal upper limit of human hearing was about 18kHz.

Picture Reference: 10317352
Subject: MEDICINE & HEALTH > Audiology > Equipment, Diagnostic, Whistles
Inventory No.: 1996-0277_0002
Credit: Science Museum

Keywords: 1870-1913, 1900s, 20th Century, Age Of Electricity, Audible, Audible Range, Diagnostic, Equipment, Equipment, Diagnostic, Whistle, Europe, Galton's, Galton's Whistle, Galton, Francis, Sir, Hearing, Hearing Tests, Heller, Michael, Medicine, Medication, Pharmacology, Pitch, Range, Sound, Test, Uk, Ultrasound, United Kingdom, Whistles, Whistle

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