Soothing Music For Operations

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31976, 1 May 1969, Page 8

Soothing Music For Operations

Soothing background music is being piped into two operating theatres and the anaesthetic rooms at Christchurch Hospital. If the trial proves popular the institutions committee may recommend to the North Canterbury Hospital Board that the system be installed permanently. “It is soothing to patients and staff alike,” said Dr L. M. Berry, the board’s medical superintendent in chief, at a meeting of the board yesterday. Dr Berry said the music was orchestral and not vocal, and it was supplied by a commercial organisation which transmitted it over the telephone landlines. It was possible to have an automatic switch which stopped the music at inter-

vals. He said the piped music had proved helpful and soothing in clinical areas, outpatient waiting rooms and laboratories in other hospitals. An anaesthetist at the hospital had been in a hospital overseas where music was piped to such places, and had found it "very comfortable.” Dr L. C. L. Averill said the trouble was that every deoartment would want piped music. “Before you know it you’ll have piped music for having your teeth pulled and music in the laundry and everywhere.”

“Personally, I hate this noise in the background,” said Mr J. B. Hay, chairman of the institutions committee. “It’s not popular everywhere. I hate it in the woolshed.”