Imperial Valley press., 1914-01-02
Haskin Letters
Unnecessary Noises
(By Frederic. J. Haskin)

cleS ana noisy drivers make con-
tinual bedlam in front of your place
of business each day, or are your
working hours interrupted by the
hawking cries of hucksters or other
street vendors? If you suffer from
these or any other noise nuisances
you may possibly help to overcome
them by joining one of the anti-noise
crusades which are now being so rap
idly organized in every part of the
country. Perhaps you may even help
to start one as part of your duty
as a good citizen.
That is what Mrs Isaac L. Rice of
New York thought when she entered
upon the work in New York city which
is now being copied everywhere. Sew
eral years ago Mrs. Rice had occasion
to visit frequently at a city hospital.
She noticed how the patients suffered
from the clang of street cars, the
honking of automobiles, the clatter
of vehicles and other street noise
which came in the open windows. She
unnecessary, and began a campaign
for the establishment of quiet zones
around city hospitals. An ordinance
was passed which placed restrictions
upon traffic in circle or zone sur
rounding every hospital in New York.
A speed limit was placed upon all We
hicles entering this zone and ali un-
necessary noise was prohibited. Suf
ficient traffic policemen were provided
to enforce the restrictions.
The testimony of physicians and
hospital officials, no less than the ex-
pressions of the grateful' patients,
were widely circulated. Chicago, Bal
timore and several other cities have
passed similar ordinances and in 9TH
ers the reform is under consideration
In Washington an amendment to the
police regulations is now being con-
sidered which will provide this quiet
zone. 1t requires that the territory
shall extend a distance of $50 feet on
all sides from any hospital or institu,
ton for the care of the sick. The
limits of the zones are to be desig
mated by signs on lamp posts or by
other conspicuous notices. Any person
convicted of making an Unnecessary
noise within the boundaries of a hos
pital zone will be fined. In the future
the possibilities of quiet will be con-
sidered in selecting hospital locations.
Where such an institution must be
centrally located quiet approach will
be planned. Where this has not been
done, some noise restrictive measures
are essential. since all physicians are
denouncing the harmful effect of con-
tinued noise upon a weakened physi
cal condition.
AS things now are, the average
person has less protection from the
nerve shock and general annoyance of
unnecessary noise than from any 9TH
er nuisance. If sight is unpleasant
he may close his eyes or turn his
head. An unpleasant odor usually
indicates an unsanitary condition,
which will be cared for by the board
of health. But the nerve splitting
whistle, the humping of badly adjust
ed cars, the clang of alarm signals,
and hundreds of other unpleasant
sounds assail the ears constantly, and
have been submitted to as inevitable.
The torture of some of these noises
to nervous people cannot be estimat-
ed, and each year seemed to develop
some new nerve racking sound
Scientists claim that the effect Of
living in the midst of constant noise
tends either to an excited nervous
system or a deadened sensibility ac-
cording to the temperament of the
individual. Filson Young, the English
writer, believes that the reason the
French are so eXcitable as a race is
because they are fond of noise and
surround themselves with it. No 9TH
err nation, in his belief, has been ca
pable of inventing such perfectly
fiendish" screeching, ear piercing de-
vices to use as automobile alarms.
Even in a pastoral French village
the ears of the visitor at all hours OF
the night. Mr. Young claims that a
really quiet night is unknown to the
majority of the French people. They
sleep through the noise and are un-
conscious of it, hut it's effect upon
them can be readily traced
In Germany the waste caused to the
human nervous system by unneces-
sary noise has been better recognized,
In most German towns regulations ex-
list which prohibit noises of all kinds
during certain hours of the night.
These are not always enforced, nor do
they insure the quiet intended. Yet
most travellers bear testimony to the
restful quiet of the German town and
Mr.. Young can, no doubt, trace to
this the sober calm of the national
German character.
The interest aroused by the crea-
ton of quiet hospital zones in New
York encouraged Mrs. Rice to extend
her efforts further. In 1906 she or
ganized "The Society for the Suppress
sion Of Unnecessary Noise" It's mem
hers include persons of every walk in
life, but it has the cooperation and
support of the leading law makers
and physicians of the country. The
members are pledged TO consider al
ways the elimination of noises
wherever found Mrs. Rice herself
is in the habit of taking an early
morning walk each day. This not
'only gives her exercise but gives her
an opportunity to study the noises pc
culiar to the early morning with a
view to lessening them.
1t is surprising how many noises
II,