The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-30
PHONE GIRLS
|octors Discuss the Injurious Ef-
fscts to Which They Are Con-
stantly Exposed.
1ectricisns Also Give Their Opin-
ions on the Quite I'M
portant Matter.
81. Remarkable Cases Of I.saaity In
Auced by Caps = Strong
Nerves UnstrunG.

THE injurious effects of the telephone on
Ie young women employed in the central
ations have been the subject of discus
pn among physicians for some time past,
us the New York News. It has been
und that the strain on the nervous sys-
m produced by the cap had wrought q
oh state of excitability in many and in
nifty in some.
This last phase of the trouble has come
| be called telephone madness, and quite
number of cases Of it hsve been re-
krted. It is said that the girls first show
mptoms Of uneasiness and anxiety
aich is caused by the instrument worn in
head to which is attached the receiver.
point of fact, it is merely oontrivance
hold the receiver over the ear, shutting
{ all other sound from that side. This
APP is carried all day long, or while tn Q
orator is at work, and through it her share
the business of the Office is conducted.
In the intervals of '.calls'' the buzzing
und in the telephone goes ON, and that.
is said, is enough to break down a robust
rvous system, Girls of delicate constitu-
IN cannot sustain it, and those who are
any way predisposed to hysteria are
stty sure to be unfavorably affected. The
DOR is not light. either. Although the
Is are seated their arms are in constant
I'd heavy exercise, SO that the whole body
in activity, while that perpetua! noise is
pt roaring at the ear.
IN one instance girl in this city was at
:ked with fits or hysteric after few
.,,&h he ;,, No %o1ar,horo 1f43No Sho end
nly screamed at the pitch of her voice,
Id threw her hands in the air. She after
Erds tried to jump out of the window. II
g proved that she had been sound and
althy before accepting that work, and had
|ver been known to be hysterical or unus-
lily excitable. She was obliged to keep
after the first attack, as she had no
her means of livelihood, but others fol-
we'd and she grew worse, The latter out.
Is feared that her health would COM
,tely break down. She was given long
cation by the company, and recruited.
e ii st day of her return she was again
acked and had to give up altogether.
at and treatment restored her and she is
W in the typewriting department of big
iroad.
Other we'll authenticated cases of similar
ture have been brought to light, but,
COuTSo UUc DulA Va UuO60 AlAlVVSN Ado CO
oed the notice of the doctors. Some OF
We who have followed the malady up
ye discovered that it remains dormant
periods and then breaks out without
monitory indications. A woman in Paris
other day who had been attached to the
ephone system of that town. but who
4 retired on account of her health, was
ldenly taken with telephone madness in
street. She put her hands to her month
.AcA, ,rAu 1vA ki,D .A1H
calling up some one at the other end. She
ltinued that until arrested by q police
n. She was taken to the principal police
tion, where she continued to cry ont and
tend to hear. She told those around her
II she was in communication with heaven,
could distinguish the tones of the
an at which sat st. Cecilia. The chorus
angels accompanying the instrument was
tinctlv audible. The physicians belong
to the department. examined her, and
Jared her victim of telephone madness.
he authorities in Vienna have forbidden
use of the graphophone and telephone
certain public places because of the in
y to the women who served the instru-
hts. They appear to have been the first
discover the evil and took prompt action.
y physician is quoted as saying that the
* was not fit for women, and none but
stoutest men could endure it. Indeed.
fnAASAouSS sAAuV VIC WAAVAO 0y oVOAA 0AVAAO Vo
continued and new method found for
bouncing to the central telephone offices
wants of the subscribers to the tube.
pointed out that bells and numbers
int to be made to play the part of the
Diver at the ear, for while the nerves
aid not be destroyed by that, the ear
AID certainly give way.
very pretty girl in Philadelphia was
en in the streets little while ago just
M sv, Dn~S Atn~
ing Chestnut street with a friend, and
suddenly seized by the telephone mad
3. A crowd collected and the girl
canned and had fits of hysteria, and in
pauses made an imitation of tele-
me with her hands and called with it.
policeman removed her to the station
Use, and DR.. Milton Bradfeld WAS called
70 pronounced it case of telephone
lness, and subsequently sent report of
Kth. to Dr.. John T. Nagle, Of the board
iealth of this city. DR.. Bradfield is an
art in diseases of that kind, and re-
sted DIR. Maggie to return to him any in
nation he may obtain aDout telephone
ss here. When the girl partially recov-
it was ascertained that she had for
ly been in the service of q telephone
apany.
rve1dI cases nave Deen reported from
pklyn. and, it is said, the malady h.s
vt care has been taken to keep the
Wedge from reaching the public. No
punt of concealment, however, on the
of the companies can hide the facts,
they go to the doctors, and the faculty
orally is emphatic on the subject. DR..
M McLane Hamilton was in the coun-
hnd Or. Roosa was in Europe, but sew
sof the leading men in town were very
.poken in the matter.
he necessity Of change in the system
urged on all sides, and if that could
be accomplished men ought to be sub
mted for women. One man went 90 far
b state that no woman could recover the
1t of that strain on her nervous system.
AS her ruin for life.
twas bad enough to break down the
hing and iniure the sight, but when they
Rad the norvec khav noada var ~, %to