The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-15
THE TELEPHONE.
A Superintendent and a Physicians
views on the Subject.

A reporter for the Chicago Inter Ocean
has interviewed the superintendent of the
telephone line in that city. and also a
prominent physician, from whom the fol
lowing views were ELECTED;
During my four years superintend-
ence, said Mr.. Sunny, Il have known
of only one instance Of the voice being
impaired, and then the injury was due to
the young ladys persisting in the contin-
uance of her work, though troubled with
an liberated throat In her case even a
short vacation restored the perfect eff
cheney of the vocal organs, so that | can
say there has been no case of permanent
disability. There has been more outside
objection to the effect upon the hearing.
The strain is greater of course upon the
ear than upon. the voice, for the vocal
chords of an operator are taxed little
more frequently and are subjected to less
tension than those of an entry clerk. We
have had two cases of impaired hearing,
neither of them serious. 1t is, Of course.
more or less of strain to catch the
words that come over telephone wire. !
am confident from my experience that
cases of debility in either of these two
organs of sense spring from carelessness
or physical incapacity rather than from
anything peculiar to our system. We
havesample means of relief for disabled
employees, as we keep a surplus force of
from eight to fifteen constantly on hand
No electrical phenomena have yet been
discovered that have any effect on the
health of the operators We have also
provided against the suspension OF circu-
lation in the arm, that results from hold
ing the ear piece to the ear BY strapping
an ear piece, weighing only three ounces
around the head, thus leaving both hands
| free
Mr. Sunny's remarks were undoubted-
| ly true as far as they went, but a visit to
the LaSalle street exchange by the report
er at Mr.. Sunny's invitation made It clear
That general physical exhaustion is far
more imminent than impaired power of
speech on hearing. The operators speak
in very low tone of voice, and, exper-
fenced as they are, seem to have no trou-
| BILE in catching messages. The mouth
and ear pieces not being conductors seem
| to place all danger from electricity out of
| the question. But there is apparently no
rest for tongue or finger. To the mind
OF the reporter the daily endurance of
such unceasing toll by the female opera
tors make close approach to an eight
| wonder 1t is for them Toll or trouble"
| for eight or ten hours a day.
Thinking to get a little more light on
the subject, the reporter visited promi-
| nent Chicago physician and questioned
him as to the usual result of constant
use of any of the organs of sense.
"The habitual direction of any of the
senses along a certain line is to be avoid
ed, if possible, said the interviewer.
The eye is most sensitive being most
exposed. The auditory nerves are far bet,
ter protected. yet are subject to injury
from undue straining. The strain impos-
ed upon the sense of hearing either by
loud report or attention to barely dis
stinguIshable sound on the artisans work
Still it is dependant on the individual
A strong man may never be phased by it.
A weak man may suffer permanent disa-
bility from it. Undoubtedly the work of
telephone employees is one of the most
depicting of sedentary pursuits, an &C
count of the almost utter exclusion of
temporary relaxation.
Evidently the work of telephone
operator is not Objectionable on account
of its nature so much as on account of
the amour. shouldered on each individual
Shorter hours and better ventilation would
take it almost without the pale of c:iti,
cism