THE DANGER OF NOISE.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1923, Page 3

THE DANGER OF NOISE.

A physician writing iu tin* “Daily .Mail" says that doctors have long perceived tin* danger that might ari-e and is now actually arising. from noise. The public are beginning in p:*r**eivi* il too. though as yet dimly. When it i- clearly perceived, and only then, will man's inventive genius set to work to abolish or diminish ihe evil that goes hand-ii’-ham! with the good in the modern developments t h;i.*■ have created noise. This i- no danger that alTerls the few*; three-quarters ol the population of England to-day live In the Hi big towns, and are inevitable affected by modern noise. It was smells that lowered the vitality of city dwellers in the .Middle Ages: in the twentieth century it is going to b? muse. Civilisation is creating another Moloch. The reader who has not given any serious thought to the subject may be interested m learn bow modern noise alfeels vitality and energy adversely, lie will (Ill'll perceive the magnitude of the danger and become* one ol those determined ku lessen it.* A Reyn I ( ominission to study the subject may he nearer than most people think. Thi immediate efl’ei r ol a noise ;■< lo cause tin* ah* to vibrate in the vicinity. Waves of vibration are set in motion. ;11• ■ I these, striking against the drum ot the ear. nmk" that vibrate too. ami its vibration is transmitted to the nerve of bearing, and we hear. , But a loud uoiie—especially a sudden, loud noise—does more. Ihe vi(ions not oldv ulfeet ihe nerve. "I bearing, but d nerves as well. They overflow. They may he Ln'eiole enough to rupture the drum of the tar. as occurs to artillerist*. When the vibrations of sound adocr. the nerves generally they .mr Omni. iU id it is tliis continual jarring all day long ill cities that does the damage. ■ •Oh! those guns! Stop those terrible guns.” cried Napoleon ffl at* Sedan. and liiauv a Londoner of to-dav will cell*) his words in reference In

noise. , . , Not only out of doors, but mdnurtun. does noise pursue us. . The telephone is an mestimaolboon, but it carries its own penalty m its insistent clang. Ami oim day Huair will add its quota ol muse. I H'lin 20 miles of l.nndou lie’ inhabit.!.-Is iire already petitioning against the noise of aeroplanes. AVbat is tbe remedy? Clear!v something will hate to , done event millv. Alan will have in Isprovided with some bailer between mnerves and this riotous orgy "I "*•'> ■ 1! libber road.- Orril.y c-tb. i.o doubt —may have lo be mad"- " ‘ could at least, get. rid ol all iimiu - sarv noise, and 1 have a suspicion lh. ■ the motor driver's hooter m.gnt be piade to warn witbotil giving >ueh a shock to tbe nerves. Our inventive genius ~ not exhausted.