TECHNICAL NOTES AND RESEARCH BRIEFS 4.4

HEARING LOSS STUDIES

Two reports on hearing loss studies have been made available recently:

Additional Handicapping Conditions, Age at Onset of Hearing Loss, And Other Charac- teristics of Hearing Impaired Students, United States: 1908-69--Brenda Rawlings and Augustine Gentile, Office of Demo- graphic Studies, Gallaudet College, Kendall Green, Washington, D.C. 20002. This report contains data collected by the Annual Survey of Hearing Impaired Children and Youth on approximately 25 000 hearing-impaired children enrolled in special education programs in the United States during the 1968-1969 school year. During the first year of data collection, information on a variety of the charac- teristics of these hearing-impaired children was obtained. The characteristics described in this report include additional handi- capping conditions, age at onset of hearing loss, audiometric findings (better ear averages), age, and sex. Data on other characteristics will be given in later publica- tions. (Address requests for copies of the

report to Augustine Gentile at the above address.)

Devdopment and Evaluation of an Expanded Hearing Loss Scale Questionnaire--U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, D.C. (1970). This report from the National Center for Health Statistics presents findings on the develop- ment and evaluation of a series of scale questions designed to measure degree of hearing loss. Since a scale developed during an earlier study lacked specificity in differ- entiating between persons with relatively small hearing losses and those with normal hearing, the primary objective of the pres- ent study was the refinement of the scale in this area.

The evaluation phases of the study con- sisted of validating the revised scale audio- metrically with persons having minor to severe hearing losses and also with persons having normal hearing. The scale was first administered to persons attending hearing and speech clinics, validating their re- sponses to the scale by comparison with audiometric measurements. The scale was then administered in household interviews of a representative sample of persons living in the Philadelphia Standard Metropolitan

Statistical Area. Respondents in the inter- view survey who reported some impairment of hearing were scheduled for audiometric examination. A subsample of persons who reported no hearing loss was also scheduled for audiometric testing.

In addition to the hearing scale, another method of determining the extent of hearing loss was introduced into the study. This measure was a four-step self-rating of hearing ability in each ear (good, a little trouble hearing, a lot of trouble hearing, deaf.) This method was found useful in earlier studies in the detection of cases in which a person with a unilateral hearing loss responded to the scale in terms of his ability to hear with his worse ear rather than with both ears.

Also included are appendixes which pro- vide the survey questionnaires and instruc- tions, and a discussion of the sampling methods used. Twenty-two tables provide the data used in the development and evaluation of the scale study. Copies of this report (PHS Publication No. 1000, Series 2, No. 37), may be purchased for $0.50 from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402.

6.1, 6.4

ON MUSIC AND THE DECIMAL SYSTEM IN ENGLAND

"A recent national survey by the Psycho- logical Research Centre indicated that no fewer than three out of every four house- wives expected that the switch-over on 15 February next year will be accompanied by an over-all rise in prices. A major factor justifying this fear is the abolition of the sixpence and the anticipation that pur- veyors of anything now costing that amount will follow the avaricious example of London Transport and double the price to a shilling. The Anti-Decimal Group will doubtless be busy between now and D-day watching out for future injustices to the majority caused by the death of the handy tanner, but it is hoped that they will also have time to pursue the numismatic hard- ships of minority groups.

"One such example of esoteric decimal suffering has been reported, following the demise on New Year's Day of the half- crown. It has been pointed out by tym-

panists that this deprivation could well cause them altercation with acid-tongued conductors who include in their concerts Elgar's Enigma Variations. In Variation 13, which is taken by some to portray Lady Mary Lygon, the composer calls for a very light drum-roll, representing the distant throbbing of a ship's engines. Such percus- sive pianissimo cannot be achieved with ordinary drumsticks but, over the years, it has been found that two half-crowns applied near the rim of the drum were ideal implements. In consequence, a couple of such coins have become regarded as stan- dard equipment for all conscientious skin- thumpers on Elgar nights.

"So what is to happen now? Are we never to hear the Enigma Variations played in public again with the delicacy that Sir Edward intended? If two florins would have served their musical purpose, we can be sure that the thrifty tympanists would never have gone to the extra expense of using two half-crowns. The new 50p piece with its seven threatening corners is clearly

liable to get through drumskins at an exorbitant rate. And, anyway, is it reason- able, in these inflationary times, to expect family tom-tom men on the top back row to keep a pound permanently locked up with their sticks? It is perhaps too late for the Musician's Union to persuade Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Currency Board to reinstate the half-crown in the interests of tonal verity of Enigma Variation Number 13. But maybe Lord Hardwood, our most musical Royal, might prevail upon his cousin to authorize the limited production of a new commemorative coin called the Elgar, of the same weight and dimension as the half-crown and bearing his eponymous features on the other side from hers. It would be for limited issue only to fully-paid members of the Tympanists Chapel and definitely illegal tender in concert hall bars. After all, the monarchy must owe Sir Edward a good turn for contributing no little to its continuation by composing Land of Hope and Glory." New Scientist, 45, No. 687, 245 (5 February 1970).

3.1

TECHNICAL REPORTS

The following 10 technical reports are available from the Department of Com- merce Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151.

412 Volume 49 Number 2 (Part 1)

(1) Acoustic Subbottom Profiling Systems, A State-of-the-Art Survey--R. T. Sancier, U.S. Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss. (April 1970). Informa- tion from field tests, literature, and pub- lished data was gathered to establish the operating principles, capabilities, and limi- tations, environmental restrictions, and

1971

availability of acoustic systems from the standpoint of conditions in the Lower Mississippi Valley. The acoustic systems are commonly classified according to the method by which the sound energy is produced, such as boomers, sparkers, and gas guns. Different degrees of resolution and penetration are achieved, largely because of

Redistribution subject to ASA license or copyright; see http://acousticalsociety.org/content/terms. Download to IP: 216.165.95.72 On: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:50:28