MODERN RACKET.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19364, 18 September 1934, Page 2

MODERN RACKET.

NOISE NOIBOMENEB3. The danger of continuous noise producing general deafness and deterioration of racial energy, was discussed recently by Dr. Dan McKenzie, consulting surgeon to the Central London Throat and Ear Hospital. Dr. McKenzie was speaking at Norwich, at the congress of the Royal Institute of Public Health, reports the Daily Telegraph. He said that the reaction to ihe outcry against noise, was probably due to the fact that those who had advocated the juiet life had been overstating the case. “It is a fact not sufficiently appreciated,” declared Dr. McKenzie, “that exposure to sound above a certain intensity induces deafness. If the blast of sound is very loud a single momentary exposure may be sufficient to damage the hearing permanently. But a relatively low intensity if long continued will have a similar effect. “Noise deafness once instituted is irremediable. I have recently found that people with middle ear deafness are made temporarily more deaf by travelling even for a short distance in the London tubes. Production of Deafness. “This phenomenon is not to be Ignored. If noise is permitted to grow more and more loud and continuous, Nature’s reply is going to be the production of deafness. Already in ordinary life you will hear people eongraluiating themselves on being deaf. Will the next developmental event be the birth of deaf children? “I have sometimes wondered whether those deafened in the war from high explosives, cases in which no lesion of the body could be found were not really deaf due to the shock of violent sound waves. These waves consist of a massive shaking movement of ihe air. developing an energy capable of traversing the human body, including the. vital nerve centres, and disintegrating their delicate structural elements.

“Noise at night is a serious occurrence. It is widely pervasive. It behaves like a recurring pain, intrusive, inescapable, exhausting. Were it not for the marvellous adaptability of the human mind, the rapidity with which it can make up for loss of sleep, life in these days would become Intolerable. “If we could estimate the hours of sleep lost by the population of Britain from this cause alone the total would astound us. It is going on more or less all night everywhere in I own and country alike. Add to tills, in a large number of cases, the fatigue consequent upon working amid noise during the day. and we have a eombinnlion of evils that cannot hut lead |o a general deterioration of racial energy.”