DO WE LIVE TOO FAST?

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 34, 8 August 1925, Page 16

DO WE LIVE TOO FAST?

UNNECESSARY NOISE AND

"JUMPY" NERVES.

Lord Dawson of Perm has called very timely attention to the fact that our inventive ingenuity is outrunning our adaptability, writes Dr. Leonard Williams in the '.'Daily Mail." On the face of it \ one would say that there are only two' remedies—to cease inrentiveness or to speed up our powers of adaptation, both of which are obviously impossible. But there is in reality another way, which is to mitigate such of „tha «fiect« .of pew invention* as impose undue wear and - tear on our nervous systems. Take noise,, for instance. The'ears" are in very close association with the brain and central nervous system. An ugly noise is far more disturbing' than an ugly sight. Now it is a curious fact that nearly all new inventions increase the amount of noise in the world. Machinery, railways, typewriters, motor-cars, to mention a few only, add; enormously to the exhaustion of the nervous system. The motor-car has multiplied the noise of. large cities by at least 50 per cent., find it. ,is an undoubted'fact that, at -least, qne^half of the increment is. totally ■unnecessary.> fAnd the -worst.of these particular ,noißea. is:.that the night season, /offers no respite'from 'their; dis■astrous\ i:irtflictk>ns.- -.'.'■;.'■". ..-■"-■ ;

,• • • -yVflGtiieirvexample of-■ the:- evil- effects 6f;;rToiße is afforded by .art: American in-' yention called: the'''jazz, baitct It may 'jnstly be claimed that the •'; present -furdro foe dlliicmg• which'has-overtakon youijg, N old, and ■.middle-aged.is by ho means to be deprecated fronr the point of view of'"health. - One objection, -of course, is the necessarily, stuffy atmosphere, but a:far rtofe serious one,is .'presented by the cacophonic noises emitted by the orchestra which a jaded generation meekly accepts in lieu of music. But great'as is the responsibility of unnecessary noise . for our - "jumpy" nerves, it must not be. supposed; th-at it stands alone. ■■'Faulty . illumination makes^ a very good The fretinai is very'close to> the braiii, and anything which over-stimulates the organ of, vision will: exercise an exhausting effect upon :the iiervousl^ system. Unprotected electric, lights .are very exhausting to the. eyes; i rind hence to the whole* 'nervous system-. They are perhaps rather less generjiL than they were, but there are still far too many of them. They ought to be altogether forbidden.

Among the enemies of efficiency there is one other factor to be added, which is surfeit. Everyone admits that everyone else eats too much. Unlike some popular beliefs,' this one happens to be true, -but the belief brings no, modification of.l'the practice.