Inventing Madness

Research

"By the late 1870s, I had had the opportunity to review hundreds of documents that Nellie had shown me from the patent office. During that period of time I would transpose the documents to my handwriting, show my employees what I wanted them to invent or improve upon, and then I would submit the 'new' invention under my name and usually receive approval for the patent. One patent in particular involved a telephone transmitter that greatly improved Alexander Graham Bell's work with the telephone. My transmitter—well, not exactly my transmitter—made it possible for voices to be transmitted at a higher volume and with greater clarity over standard telephone lines.

"I set a goal for my workers to invent one minor invention every ten days and one major invention every six months. With Nellie's assistance, and with my clever suggestions to my workers, they were easily able to make their goals.

"One weekend Nellie brought me a patent application showing sketches of a new invention that would allow someone to speak into a device and then listen to their own voice that had been recorded. I tasked my employees with numerous experiments during the summer and fall of 1877 to come up with a sound recording device. I had them try recording sound on paper of different thicknesses coated with various waxes, and I even attempted to record on the edge of the paper instead of on the flat side. I tested different formats including spools of paper tape and spirally grooved paper discs. By early November my employees were experimenting with recording on a sheet of tinfoil wrapped around a metal cylinder that could indent about two hundred spoken words and reproduce them from the same cylinder.

"I gave a sketch of just what I wanted the device to look like to John Kruesi, one of my employees, and he spent six days making a model. Because I was quite impressed with the work John had done, I had John and my other employees who were working on the device sign away any of their rights to the invention. I then had my marketing group publicize information about my phonograph.

"This led to my invention of the phonograph in 1877. My employees eventually formulated a machine with a tinfoil-coated cylinder and a diaphragm and needle. When I spoke the words, Mary had a little lamb, into the mouthpiece, even I was amazed that the machine played the phrase back to me! Although I had anticipated the device would work, I was still thrilled.

"I demonstrated the tinfoil phonograph for the editors of Scientific American. A report published in December by the journal described the event. 'Mr. Thomas A. Edison recently came into this office, placed a little machine on our desk, turned a crank, and the machine inquired as to our health, informed us that it was very well, asked how we liked the phonograph and bid us a cordial good night. The editors remarked, 'No matter how familiar a person may be with modern machinery, it is impossible to listen to the mechanical speech without his experiencing the idea that his senses are deceiving him.'

"Soon after my invention of the phonograph, Sarah Bernhardt came to visit me. She had sailed from France to New York to begin her First American Theatrical Tour. Her intent, she told me, was to, 'introduce French culture to a backward country.' And she wanted to make money! She loved to amuse and scandalize her audiences. She was such a lovely woman and was, undeniably, one of the greatest actresses of all time. When Sarah contacted me to ask to visit my laboratory, I was very flattered. During her visit at Menlo Park, she asked me if I was married! It was quite exciting, and, as you can imagine, I wished I was not.

"I created my Edison Speaking Phonograph Company in early 1878 to market the machine, but the initial novelty value of the phonograph soon wore off, so I turned my attention elsewhere . . . to the electric light system."

"Mr. Edison, I must tell you," I stated, "every one of our sessions reveals so much about you. You really have had a very unique life. Most people would not believe what you are telling me, but I know, in my heart, everything is true."

"Yes, Mr. Laurence," he replied. "I'm glad you realize what I am telling you is the truth. I am looking forward to seeing how my life will be described in your manuscript. I'll see you next week."

He rang his bell for the maid; I collected my papers, stood up, looked around to make certain I had not forgotten anything and then the maid appeared to escort me to the door.

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