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The next table shows the importance of testing being carried out in
a quiet room. The records are standardised for words spoken in a
quiet room and if the examination is made when noise is present a
true result is not obtained.
At the request of the Head Teacher of Page Green Girls' School, a test
was carried out to determine what hearing loss is sustained by children,
working in classrooms adjoining the main road. Six girls of between
13 and 14 years of age were tested in the quietest room in the school.
They were immediately afterwards tested in what is regarded by the
school staff as a noisy classroom. The resultant tests were then averaged,
with the following result:—
Average hearing loss in quiet room—minus 3 units, i.e., acute
hearing.
Average hearing loss in noisy room—plus 3 units.
Average additional loss as a result of tests being conducted in a
noisy classroom—plus 6 units.
A table (page 16) is also given analysing the conditions found in
discharging ears and summarising the results of treatment. Many of
these patients were subsequently tested by the Audiometer to ascertain
if the hearing was normal; if not, treatment was given for the defect
in hearing.
Examination is devoted (1) to ascertain the condition in the ear and
(2) to decide what is keeping up the discharge. When these questions
are answered the line of treatment is clear.