Abstract
The pulse-tone method of testing hearing, used as a basis for the 1939–1940 World's Fair tests in which over one million individuals voluntarily participated, has been adapted for clinical audiometric use. For this purpose, a tri-functional control has been utilized consisting of (1) an electronic method of producing the desired number of tone-pulses (normally one, two, three, or four) in a selected sequence under control of the operator, (2) a visual signal which occurs at the beginning of each pulse series to act as a warning to the observer, and (3) a visual signal which flashes in synchronism with the output tone-pulses to act as a counter for the operator. In threshold tests in which both the pulse-tone method and the standard audiometric method were used, approximately 90 percent of the observers expressed a preference for the pulse-tone procedure. This favorable preference rating was principally a result of the ability of the observer to relax between definite periods of concentration marked by the warning signal at the beginning of each series of pulses. The test, which lends itself to a high degree of standardization, was found to be of particular advantage for observers with tinnitus. For such observers, the regular on-off characteristic of the tone affords a better opportunity to differentiate between the audiometer signal and the auditory disturbances which are characteristic of this disorder.
Published Version
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