Evening journal., 1912-08-20
DISCUSS The
NOISE EVIL
biological Congress in Session
in Boston Would Ban
Auto Horn
EFFECT OF SOUND
ON NERVOUS SYSTEM


BOSTON, Mass. Aug. 2O.-More
than FIVE hundred prominent phy-
hcians from ali parts of the world,
are assembled this week at the In
ternational Geological Congress.
One of the principal meetings was
devoted to the subject of the sup
preston OF the noise evil. The open
ing address was delivered by DR..
Clarence John Blake of the Harvard
Medical School and President Of the
Congress. DR.. Blake discussed the
question of noise from the standpoint
OF its deleterious effect upon the
human ear. He cited locksmiths,
blacksmiths, mechanics, iron turner's,
boiler makers, engineers. and stokers,
rs we'll as persons working in machine
shops. He showed the effect Of their
surroundings as diminishing their
hearing power.
The multitudinous noises Of the
street" said Dr. Blake. with their
disharmonious and metallic ovortones,
together with the subjection Of the
ear to such prolonged. shrill notes as
are incident TO railway and factory
whistles, are also productive and
aural defects. although in lesser
degree than where the impairment OF
the hearing is the direct result OF oc-
cupation and exposure"
DR.. Blake dwelt at length upon the
increasing amount of noise coming
from the use of automobiles and
showed where a large proportion OF
this was entirely unnecessary. The
use of the mufiier cut-out, for in
stance. he described as being mex
cusable.
On the subject Of automobile warn
Ing signals he urged the necessity OF
greater uniformity. He pointed out
that primarily the automobile warning
signal was a public utility and that
the use Of some signal was vitality
necessary to the safety OF the streets.
He declared that in order to fulfill
its function as a true warning. a
signal must have certain essential
characteristics. Il must be loud aud
abrupt and convey an unmistaka0ie
EXPRESSION OF danger. He showed that
devices that did not have these quail
fications were, in reality, not warn
ings and that they were consequently
responsible for unnecessary noise.
THE old-fashioned bull-horn,'
said DR.. Blake. lis a relic Of bygone
days and as much as we dislike 10
have Il supplanted by The loud discor.
dant signal OF today We WI
have to reconcile ourselves to it What
we can do however, is to prohibit tho
use of these modern signals except
when they are actually necessary anc
to urge then that they be used onl,
In homeopathic doses"
Following DR.. Blake's address, DIR
James Jackson Putnam, Professo
Emeritus Of Harvard College, discus
sod the subject Of noise from tn
standpoint Of IFS effect upon the ner
Vous system,
Stoughton Bell. a Boston lawyer
then discussed the legal aspects o
the noise problem. He urged. th'
necessity of making statutes for The
suppression of unnecessary noise dc
finite In their terms. lie showed tha
number Of present day ordinances
3f this kind were ineffective anS
practically useless because OF theil
Ambiguity and the consequent dim
sulty experienced in their interpre
lation.
In discussing the question of auto
mobile noise. he cited the Chicago or
dinances as being an ideal piece o
anti-noise legislation. He showe
that while this carried out the idea
Of DR.. Blake and provided that auto
mobiles be equipped with warnin
signals capable Of efficiently fulhllin
their function, II likewise provide
against the unnecessary use Of sue
signals
In this connection Mr.. Bell brougf
ap the Massachusetts ordinance
directed toward the same ends. Thi
while Il allowed the use Of all kline
Of signals In country districts, Wa
supposed to prohibit the use Of a
save the mild and harmonious variei
within the limits Of cities. He shoy
Cd that as a result Of the enforc
ment Of this measure automobile a
cidents In country districts decrease
80 per cent while those in cities 4
creased rs per cent. The conclusiJ
10 be drawn was that while the su
preston of all unnecessary noise vi
highly meritorious thing it shou
be done reasonably and not at q
sacrifice of public welfare.
The closing address Of the meetii
was delivered by Professor Edward
Moss Of Salem. Professor Moss sho'
ed that while the country was far a
vanced in the suppression OF 9th
evils. the solution Of the noise pr
blem was as yet in its infancy.
urged the crying necessity of orga
lied action.
The American people" he sal
"are the noisiest nation on the IA
Of the earth. The only nation viii
approaches this in this respect
China. The continuance of our pI
sent policy" said Professor No
will be a moral wrong and an eco
omic folly"
Bringing the meeting to close,
Blake urged all 10 direct their EMO
as much as possible TO furthering I
campaign against unnecessary noise
COSTLY DELAYS