The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-05
A Frequsst Cause Of DEAFNESS.


A few days since young lady consult
ed me in regard to an spprehended deaf
ness. She stated that Tor upward Of a
year she had noticed an increasing deaf
ness in the right, ear. At first she thought
little of it. believing that it was q tempo
rary disability, but as she experienced
more difficulty in hearing, she began
gradually to realize the dreadful possibility
of approaching deafness. For months she
concealed her condition, but at length 1T
b, came apparent to her friends, who, TO
her great modification, addressed her &C
cordingly. On careful examination, l
found large amount of wax in the exter-
nal ear, and as 1 could discover no other
caus :, and as it was neither hereditary nor
the result of recent or former disease, /
attributed her disease to an impaction of
wax against the ear drum (tympanum).
As | had anticipated, she quickly and
sharply retorted, rejecting my opinion as
an imputation upon her cleanliness. /
assured her that it was an evidence of her
special care of her person, for in my ex-
perience this form of deafness more often
occurred in those who took great pains to
keep their ears clean. 1t happens in this
wise The ear wax (cerumen) is secreted
constantly along the whole extent of the
external ear tube, but only in sufficient
quantity to slightly lubricate the passage.
In the natural and healthy state of the
parts this wax gradually hardens, disin-
tegrates, and falls from the eartube unno-
ticed. Whenever the ear tube is lrritated,
the wax is secreted in large quantities, and
escapes from the passage in masses. Many
persons clean their ears daily, generally
by using wet cloth twisted, or upon q
stick, hair pin, or something similar. This
frequent stimulation leads to an excess
i've secretion of wax, which is not
allowed to dry and disintegrate owing to
the constant agitation, but is crowded
to the back part of the tube and pas
tered over the drum by the screwing of
the cloth. While the external part of the
tube is thus kept clean, the internal part
becomes clogged with collection Of wax,
and finally the drum is so covered that it
ceases to vibrate with its usual rapidity.
Indistinctness of hearing is the first evil
dence that the drum is beginning to be in.
terfered. with by the wax, and as the layers
of fresh wax increase, the vibrations di.
minish in intensity, and the dullness Of
hearing increases =
The treatment proved that the cause of
her deafness had been correctly stated. A
few drops of almond oil were put in the
ear at bedtime, to soften the wax, and the
next morning the ear was thoroughly
washed out with soap and water, by means
of syringe. Large quantities of wax e.
capped, with hardened Masses followed by
that remarkable acuteness of hearing that
for a time, makes all loud sounds in these
cases painful. -
Cases of this kind are very numerous. ]
have known Judge to leave the bench
on account of growing deafness, due to &C
cumulations of wax around mass of cot
ton introduced long time previously into
the ear. The ear should never be cleaned
except with soap and water, carefully in
troduced by syringe. By this means the
ear is not irritated, the wax is thoroughly
removed, even from the surface of the
drum, and no harm can result-Note BOol
Of an Eminent Physician in Hearth ant
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