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Show Noise Around Us Threatens Health The noise around us is becoming becom-ing a real threat to physical and mental health, J. D. Ratcliff says in the December Readers Digest. Noisemakers such as jet air craft and giant trucks many with mufflers stripped out in the delusion that engine power is increased produce a volume of sound which surpasses annoyance annoy-ance and is climbing toward levels where hearing gives way to gain and permanent injury. The danger area begins at about 125 decibels; permanent deafness deaf-ness results-at about 150. And 50 feet from the exhaust of a big jet, the shriek may measure 134 decibels. To primitive man, noise meant danger, and we still react as if that were the case, explains the article, "Quiet Please!" Blood pressure, heart, respiration and blood sugar levels all rise. Many physicians think there is a direct relationship between this continuous, con-tinuous, unconscious tension due to noise, and the rising tide of stress ailments such as heart disease and hypertension. Dr. Claude Fortier exposed rats to the scream of a siren in his University Uni-versity of Montreal laboratory. They developed stomach ulcers and gland disorders. Cities and industries have cracked down on noise. Memphis Mem-phis bans auto horns except in moments of clear danger. Paris, which barred horns in 1954, has moved against garbage pails; by 1964 they must be rubber protected. pro-tected. In parts of Germany and England, the owner of a too-loud too-loud TV set, tomcat, power saw or motorcycle can be fined. American industry is spending $100 million to hush things up, and finds it money well spent. One plant with an assembly line next to the boiler shop moved to a quieter area. Production went up 37 per cent and rejections dropped. |
