The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-17
THE TELEPHONE EAR.
Troubles that Threaten Young Lady
Operators.
.From the Philadelphia Record.

Operators.
tFrom the Philadelphia Record.
The young ladies in the telephone offices
who say 'Hellor some thousands of times
every day are confronted with two I'M
pleasant prospects-the alternative of losing
an ear or having one Of those useful
organs abnormally developed. A prom
inent physician recently asserted that
the receivers now used by the oper-
ators are strapped so tightly that a clear
case Of atrophy of the external ear invaria-
bly, results, owing to the pressure and dis
use. When this assertion was suddenly
made known to the operators at the Bell
Telephone Company's city office, Fourth
and Chestnut streets, the other day, there
was mild panic. The rubber receivers
were quickly torn of, and each and every
operator began TO feel the ear most used at
the phone
CONSERVATION AMONG THE OPERATORS.
II am going to tell papa" said one sweet
faced lass in great alarm. A feeling of
strange wonderment stole over the features
OF pretty brunette who was heard to utter
unconsciously: "One-esredl What will
Harry thinkP' Who Harry was she did not
say, but it is not hard to conjecture.
"Oh, pshawl ! don't believe it. 1t is no
such thingn said another miss, shaking
weight from each manipulation of the tele-
phone, as the speaker with curls had been
in the business for several years. All ears
were then found by their possessors to be in
most satisfactory condition, and with half
offended looks on their faces the operators
donned the receiver again and went to
| work, referring the Record man to General
Manager Plush.
THERE IS NO TROUBLE HERE.
tion,n said DIR. Plush, 80 far as it can be
applied to this city. l have no doubt that
it can be found to occur among the New
York telephone operators, where the re-
ceivers are of hard wood, with some soft
inside cushioning, which, however, can
not obviate the direful effect result
ing from the severe pressure of the
| tight receiver. In this city these head
| bands are composed of rubber. and are not
tightly strapped around the head. We have
found that this prevents all danger OF the
| shriveling of the ear used at the telephone.
We have had no cases Of the antrophy Of
| the ear among our girls. On the other
| hand it is asserted that the ear most used at
the telephone really becomes larger than
| its mate, owing to several physical causes.
DANGERS FROM ELECTRIC LIGHT WIRES.
1.-THE only danger to the ear from the
| telephone is when the wire is crossed or
DOucncQ Dy an eloCUrlc uRnC Wire charged
with a strong current. There have been a
| few accidents to the ears of our operators
| from that cause, but from no other. So
| far as the general effect Of the use of the
| telephone upon the hearing is concerned
| it tends rather to make it more acute
than to lessen it, just the same as the eye
can be educated to make very accurate es-
Inmates of distance and space by constant
practice"
EARS GROW UNUSUALLY LARGE.
In regard to the tendency of much-used
| ear to grow considerably larger than its
mate on the other side of the head, DR..
George Strawbridge, of this city, was ques-
! toned. "The explanation Of that"
said he, 'can easily be given.
The wearing of the rubber telephone
cap increases the warmth of the
ear, which results in large secretions in the
ceruminous glands of the organ. This in
creases the health of the ear, and con-
sedusntly it attains a rather abnormal
siZen
DR.. Strawbridge also stated that the use
of the telephone made the sense of hearing
moro acute, and was generally beneficial to
the ear