The New York herald., 1878-09-24
RAPID TRANSIT.

THE TFFEcTs OF THE NOISE OF THE NITRO
PoLITAs ELEVATED RAILWAY ANALyzED BY
MEDICAL EXPERTS LETTER By Ex-sURGEoN
GENERAL HAMMoND--orHER INTERESTING
OPINIONS SUBMITTED TO THE GRAND JURY.
The following letters sent 10 the Grand Jury
yesterday In reference 10 the noise Of the Metropo
Tan Elevated Railway. 1t will be seen that exsur-
geon Gene raj William A. Hammond (who is probably
the best aud highest authority This country the
nervous diseases which, II has been charged In the
petition OF the 1876 surgeons, were produced by the
nose) gives ths railway clean bill OF health and II
the counter petition OF over two hundred physicians
and surgeons who testified 10 the perfect hsalthful
OF The road and the utter absence OF all detri-
mental effects from the noise has not already made
the horse car companies uncomfortable DR.. Ham
mond's letter Is very likely to have that OBJECT. Dr.
Hammond's letter containing his opinions on the ia.
petition OF tho 1855 herewith given In iull as
presented TO the Grand Jury
DIR. HAMMoND's LETTER
No AZ WEST FIPTY-FoCRTH SrRRET,
NEW YORK, Sept. &. 1873.
DEAR SIR nave read Win great caro- the petition
In relation to the noise made by the elevated railway
Sixth avenue, ana have hesitation IN saying
that IN my opinion the statements contained therein
contrary 10 science and not In accordance with
the results OF my experience.
It's very true that any noise may be at first dis
agreeable to well persons and 10 those
are Ill IL Is remarkable however that the nervous
system sooL becomes nabituatod TO sounds that tho
beginning were almost ntoierable But for this iact
residence IN large cities would be impossible IL
well known TACT that the cessation OF loud noises
which persons have become accustomed, causes moro
or less discomfort ana may even Tor u time prevent
sleep.
have had under my great many patients
afflicted with diseases oil the nervous system resding
IN the vicinity OF the lne In no one there
any aggravation OF their symptoms from the noiso
or any complaints !" me OF IT'S INJURIOUS effects and
feature.
have of any disease Of the nervous
system alleged to DO caused by the noise nor do
lieve to be capable Of inducing any such disorder
There some persons who cannot even bear tho
ticking Of II clock IN the room IN which they sleep,
aud can understand that the noise OF the road may
be, time, disagreeaDe TO such hyperestEcc III.
dGvduas, out SO would any other unusua sound.
When the cars first began TO run hoard the noise
OF every train now do not hear IL unless listen Tor
IT, and then 1t IS often matter OF difficulty to catch
the reverOoraton.
l have made inquiries OF many of my neighbors
and they tell mo the same thing. have stood under
the track whiie tram was passing and conversed
with less difficulty than when stage passed
along.
am quite sure that perverted mental and moral
action, cerebral exhaustion, insomnia, hysteria,
chorea, mania, paralysis, meningitis and decay OF
nutrition" will not be more largely promoted among
those who 1.-Two along tho line OF tho railway, an do
not believe that medical literature affords q siuge
Instance Of any one OF beso diseases being caused by
noises such us that produced oy the cars on the
Metropolitan Elevated Railway. Certainly no such
Instance has ever come under my observation, nor
have ever witnessed any disease OF tho nervous
system produced by any noise, except those oases
which all physicians In which sudden loud nosos
may for little while cause disturbance in
hy sterica women. With all due respect Tor the gen.
tlenen signing tho pctton-many OF whom arc
Quaintances ana friends dcservedly eminent-I can
not understand what they were thinking OF when
they put their names to the very remarkable paper
WILLIAM A. HAMMOND.
WILLIAM FOSTER, Jr., ESQ.,. Vice President OF The
Metropolitan Elevated Railway.
ln addation to ex-Surgeon General Hammond's
striking letter the written opinions OF two other
eminent medical practitioners were presented. 1t
will be remembered that the petition o. tho 1876
doctors set forth that those living along tho line
OF Sixth avenue, who did not fall victims to
chorea, mania or paralysis In consequences OF tho
noise, would become q prey to 'deafuess dom entia
or death" Dr.. Hammond could speak with authority
brain diseases and dementa, and in reference 10
deafness DR. DO Rosset, OF West Thirty-sxth street.
well known aurist, gave the following opinion, which
also embodied In u letter sent TO the Grand
Jury
DIR. DE RossET's VIEWS.
In those branches oi medicine 10 which attention
Ia more especially directed have had much opporu
nity observe the effect OF the noises OF tho Metro
poiitan Elevated Railway upon vision and hearing /;
and st1te absolutely that not one single OF dis
easc, either OF the eye or the has been racoa
TO this source; and my own experience 10 connr med
by that OF other gentlemen similarly engaged.
Moreover, no increase IN larry ngeaI or pulmonary
affections among the residents aud tradesmen on
hixth has followed the construction opera
tion OF the elevated railway.
In my opinion the reveroeratiens OF tho Mstrspoli
Elevated Railway endanger neither health nor
liie they neither cause nor protract disease. They
may be unpleasant but they are not from Pa
d0ra's box, as the memorial would have US believe.
PROFESSOR CLINTON wAGyER's OPINION
1t was also alleged In the petition OF the 1856 that
aryngeal catarrh" and other diseases the throat
were produced by the strains which the nosc i'm
posed upon the voice. Professor Clinton Wagner,
physician to the metropolitan Throat Hospital In
letter Grand Jury says to that allegation -
After On experience OF a number OF years In The
treatment OF larry ngcal affections, in hospitals and
private practce am free to say That, In my opinion,
iaTyngeaI pulmonary aud bronchial affections cannot
be induced by the causes alleged IN the petition.
In conclusion / might add tnat many OF my
patients reside the line OF the road In sing
instance has existing malady been aggravated or
new one created by the noise OF the cars.
THE JURY.
Tho Grand Jury took for mai vote yesterday upon
the question OF the alleged nuisancss caused by the
Metropolitan Elevated Railway. It's generally un-
derstood circles that while they vii! sterny
resist the great pressure brought upon them by the
horse companies and other Interested people to
IndIct the road they viii probably nuke present.
to tho Court setting forth tnat the noise IL
ductive OF very great annoya ance und that the CON-
pahy must do ITS utmost aud spare no pains CT ex-
pcnse materially lessen II to remove all other
objectionable features, such the lying OF sparks
1t rs believed that Such proscntmcnt would have tho
approval OF the mmunily at large. because would
hold tho railway company to It's duty on the
hand and upon the ot ber put no obstacle In the
OF tho smooth continu uatoL OF tho west side rapid
transit work TO tho Harlem River, thus defeating the
sinister designs OF the horse companies and their
frienda