Escaping unwanted noise

Flents Ear Stopples, which have been my trusted companion during 50 years of travel, have come in handy whenever loud noise has kept me awake.

They are easy to use. After softening the earplug by kneading it between thumb and index finger, you mold it into the very beginning of the ear canal with your index finger. You can reuse each one five or six times, and you can even use two plugs in the same ear.

Note that Flents, which are made of wax and cotton, differ from silicone rubber earplugs, which are premolded and may not occlude the ear canal.

You can order a 2-, 6-, 36- or 50-pair pack of Flents Stopples (No. NRR 25) from the Ear Plug *Super* Store (Box 658, Hulbert, OK 74441; phone 918/478-5500 or visit http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/flenwaxandco.html).

Two pairs cost $3.95; six pairs, $5.95, and 50 pairs, $37.95.

PHILIP WAGENAAR, M.D.
Contributing Editor