Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-02
SAYS HUCKSTERS.
TRY NERVES MOST
Dr.. Hamilton Tells Civic Club a
Boiler Factory ls Sweet
Beside Them
RELIEF FROM NOISE HAzY

A strawberry pcddler In the hand Ia
worth two boiler factories in the bush
when II comes to nerve fatigue. ac-
cording to DR.. Samuel w. Hamilton.
Medical Director Of the Hospital for
Mental Diseases. who spoke today on
Unnecessary Noises" Mt meeting Of
the Civic Club in the Bellevue. STRAIT.
ford.
'"Tis the little things that count"
said Dr.. Hamilton. "A small noise like
the Tapping of broken tire chain
against mudguard is infinitely more
disturbing than an unbrokcn stream Of
noise much greater in volume.
"A peddler. hawking bis wares with
occasional raucous cries down a quiet
street. has more power to disarrange the
delicate balance Of the mental faculties
than the continued clangor Of an ada.
cent boiler factory. to which, because of
its sustained quality. the ear and brain
may become accustomed.
Noise. after all. Is a relative thing.
Were we to be cut Oft from all the
noises which disturb us so much today,
the minor noises, which are harmless
to our overburtlened ears under present
conditions, would in course OF time
come to occupy fthe same relative ,po-
sition with regard to the lesser noises
still lower in the scale Of audibility.
Which holds out little hope Of relief
for the future.
Not, DO 1t understood, that the doctor
holds n brief for the strawberry ped.
dlers. "Information is one Of the prime
but 1t does seem that the facts bear
ing upon the latest quotations on fresh
fruit could be conveyed in some man.
ner little less wearing upon the
senses.''
1T is impossible to suppress all
noise" he concluded. ''but some of It
can be suppressed. and the rest can be
regulated. Let all public spirited men
do what they can to curb noise in all
possible ways"
Miss Imogen 3. Oakley. who pre-
sided, also spoke on the noise nuisance.
The continual batter and clang Of city
fined as they are to certain narrow lin
its from which they cannot escape, is
slowly killing them, she said.
organ grinders, trucks, trolley cars
automobile sirens and nll the countless
noises Of a great city. which abound in
the slums, are slowly wearing away the
mental and physical fiber of these un-
fortunate people" said Miss Oakley.
Nor is 1t confined to the poor. Those
OF you who live on Spruce street, and
many of you ladies do. are all too we'll
aware Of the maddening noise made by
trucks on that street at night. 1t is
sometimes impossible to sleep.
Likewise with the school children.
City noises fall all day upon their ears
as they sit in class, with what harmful
effects no one can definitely say.
have tried, without success, to have
zones of silence, similar to those around
hospitals, established about the public
schools"
In addition to q zone of silence or =
dinance Miss Oakley advocated the
passing of legislation prohibiting com
mercial vehicles from operation on resi- =.
Dental streets, and reminded her hear
ers that there is at the present time a
law against vending aloud on the streets.
'The next time you hear men selling
vegetables that way. have them ar
rested,' she advised.
DR.. Frederick II. Griffin. pastor of
the First Unitarian Church. spoke on
the noise nuisance. while DR.. William