Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-27
VERMONT PHGN1X FEBRUARY 81 1880


The ear is subject to affections that impair
its functions at the earliest period Of life in
deed, il is frequently found to be defective at
birth Children are exposed to influences
from which they seldom entirely escape with
out more or less aural disease Such are the
consequences Of colds, which, when Of long
continuance are productive Of enlarged ton
sis chronic catarrh of the mouth, throat and
nose, the resulting sympathetic deafness in
some instances being so great that instruction
is impossible, and the child is unable to learn
to talk. 1t is then a deaf mute.
The fact should not be lost sight of that at
this early period of existence the function Of
hearing is crude, and requires gradual cult
walton for its development, and that any deaf
ness should be promptly met. Thus the hear
ing Of children ought to be often tested and
although accurate results may be difficult of
obtainment, the knowledge gained is advan-
tageous.
Should an infant escape all other causes of
aural disease it encounters at the seventh
month a physiological process in develop
ment that is frequently the source of great r-
ritation in the mouth, and Of sympathetic ir
| ritation in the ears. l refer to the cutting of
the teeth, which usually begins at this age.
! That this period is fraught with special dan
ger to the organ Of hearing is well recognized
| by both mothers and nurses, who have long
| considered teething as in some way connect
ed with earache. Every one of the first TWEEN
! ty teeth in perforating tho gum is liable to be
thus heralded. Fortunate, therefore, is the
infant who has passed its second year, the
! period at which first dentition is concluded
without having experienced aural irritation.
These first teeth, however, are subject to
| premature decay, as well as a natural absorp-
| ton of their roots before the sixth year, at
| which time the second dentiton begins
| From this cause sympathetic aural trouble
often arises, and frequently continues while
the second teeth are cutting
About the sixth year, as stated, the second
or permanent teeth begin to make their APP
pearance, and at the thirteenth year they
have all been cut with the exception of the
wisdom teeth. These second teeth are pro-
motors of even more disturbance in the ears
than the first; the earaches and discharges
are more persistent, the complications in gen
eral more grave. Subsequent to this period
there is a cessation of dental irritation, al
| though established discharges from the ears
are liable to continue on indefinitely.
The foregoing remarks will serve to draw
attention to the liability existing in youth to
| frequently recurring attacks of earache, each
one of which leaves the conductive mechan.
ism in a worse condition than before, repeat
ed invasons finally leaving behind irrepara-
|
paratyely unimportant as respects pain, com
petent advice cannot be too carly obtained
for the longer they are neglected, the less
amenable to treatment do they become.
Certain diseases Of childhood very frequent
" affect the ears such as scarlet fever, meas
les, diphtheria, cerebro-spinal meningitis
whooping cough, and humps During the
attacks of these diseases, and even when con
valescence has been established, although
earache may be absent, occasional oxamiua
tons of the ears should be made, in ordel
that. if affected, they may receive early at
tentiou. Deafness is usually an early symp
tom of most aural affections but, on the con
trary in some instances very considerable
impairment OF the drum cavity and its con
tanned mechanism exists without any percep
tible impairment of hearing,
1t is believed that very small percentag,
of the adult population possess normal hear
ing, which fact greatly depends on the neg
lect in childhood to which alluson has aboy,
been made Dr. Samuel StTt1R, IN HGrc
Harpers.