FEAR OF NOISE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 237, 5 October 1940, Page 3 (Supplement)

FEAR OF NOISE

Women's Wor/cf

lI7E in New Zealand, happily, '' are not yet affected by screaming bombs," or high explosives, but the effect of noise in our every-day lives is itself a problem which requires serious attention. Writing in an English paper, Professor Low explains how the fear of noise, so important a factor in warfare, can be banished. In using "screaming bombs," gays the professor, the Germane have introduced no new principle into warfare; they have merely applied science to one of the oldest weapons of war—noise. The savage knew the physical effects of noise on his enemy, hence his bloodcurdling yells ae, he went into battle. With the introduction of explosives, there was less need for physically produced noises to terrify on the battlefield, and it has taken Hitler, with his application of every known fact of science to total war, to improve on matters by deliberately increasing the noise with small sirens fixed on bombs and, it is reported, on dive-bombers. Noise plays an important part in modern war, but it can be said at once that "screaming bombs" produce the least harmful noise of all. The effect is entirely psychological, whereas with some noises it is physiological, and actually causes damage.

The noise of a bombardment may make a man physically sick, but the scream of a bomb will not do, although it may frighten him momentarily because of its associations. As everyone knows, we can become very accustomed to noise. People living near railways do not lose a minute's sleep because of the trains. Undoubtedly, the same will happen as a result of air raids. We shall come to find the noise of anti-aircraft fire, bombs and machine-guns less disturbing, j Strictly speaking, we do not become "accustomed" to noise, we learn to put out a little extra energy to combat its effects. An interesting point is that a noise unheard may cause greater distress than one actually heard. The siren wails, and we go to the shelters, ears expectant for the sound of guns or bombs. If there is no fire, the strain may be actually greater than if there is considerable noise. Illustrating this there is the story of the man in the hotel who dropped his boot loudly on the floor, suddenly realised it might disturb a sleeper underneath and put the other boot down quietly. Haff an hour later the man below shouted. "For heaven's sake, drop the other boot and let me get to sleep!" Understanding Helps No one fears anything he understands. Once it is appreciated that the scream of a bomb or a dive-bomber does not add to the destruction it may cause, the noise will have, a aegligible effect. It may be found interesting and helpful to train your ears. if you are busy trying to detect whether the sound of an engine is that of a German or British plane, you will not have "that sinking feeling." * If possible, it might even be found interesting to time the scream of a bomb with the seconds hand of your watch and then, remembering that sound travels 1100 feet a second, discover the approximate height at which it was first heard. I have known many children of their fear of thunde-rstorms by timing the interval between flash and the sound —and this does not mean that they have been deluded about the danger of lightning. Physical damage from a very loud sound, which is really a pressure wave or succession of them, can be minimised by stopping up the ears. The sound strikes an actual blow, and grer.sed cotton wool or one of the special plugs in the ears reduces the effect on the delicate hearing mechanism. Plugs are now made with what amount to sound filters so that ordinary conversation is audible, but very powerful sound is absorbed or filtered. Humans hear not only through their ears, but also through the bones of the head. Perhaps you have noticed that when you are eating crisp toast, the noise inside your mouth is such that it is difficult to hear what your neighbour is saying—although (we hope) he cannot hear the sound you are making. A few really crisp biscuits crunched when there is considerable noise, such as the bursting of bombs, is really helpful. Incidentally, the. food in your stomach will also reduce your sensitiveness to sound. It was once found by a certain firm who wanted noisy machinery to be passed hy inspectors that results were much more encouraging after lunch! Noise need not prove a real fear to anyone. As with most "bogies," the best remedy is to examine it carefully and to be interested.