The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-09-07
Our 0liu.
Concerning the Ears.

The ears are so often subject to disease
especially in early life, that people should
know more of them than they now gener
ally do. \ little, but not much, can b,
said about the care they need. The rea
apparatus Of hearing is fortunately so vel
constructed, and so well protected in itc
situation, it does very well, as rule, under
the "let alone treatment" There il
much, however, to be said about whaI
ought not to be done to the ears, for habit,
which tend 10 injure them are exceedingly
common. Again, people should be better
informed about the diseases of these i'm
portant organs, not only for the reason that
many Of them may be prevented, but be.
cause, as a general thing, they are improp.
erly treated. Considering these facts, it i:
assumed that a discussion of the subject
viii be Of interest
Auatomists have divided the ear into
three parts A description of two is com.
paratiyely easy, but OF the other Is toe
difficult TO undertake The drum of the
ear IS the dividing line between the exter.
nal aud the so-ealled middle ear. The
drum lies about an inch and quarter
within the passage. Beyond the drum is
the actual hearing apparatus. The outer
most part Of the external ear Is, as every
one Of course knows, trumpet shaped, so a.
to receive aud collect sounds from all quar-.
ters The middle ear, lying back of the
drum, Is small cavity, which communi
Gates with deep eayerns, which are also d
part Of the hearing apparatus.
THE RUsTAcHIAN TUBE.
The middle ear also communicates with
the upper par, Of the thsoat-properly the
pharynx by narrow passage called the
Eas,achian tube. Hence il will be seen
that but for the drum Of the ear there
would be one continuous passage from the
outer ear to the throat Patients who
have suffered pertoration Of the drum will
very readily appreciate this fact, for in
blowing the nose the air escapes through
the tar with a whistEng sound The Eus-
tachian tube plays several important parts.
Were il not for that the drum, owing tO
the absence Of air on one side, would not
yibrate, and the hearing power, while not
necessarily wholly destroyed, would be very
much impaired. This general idea of the
ear Is about the best one can acquire with
out considerable study and the aid Of
charts. At any rate it is quite sufficient
for the purpose Of this discussion.
Although the drum of the ear hes an
inch and quarter within the passage, it i:
very often injured, and, in fact, destroyed
by the wanton earelessness in picking the
ears. An instrument quite often used foi
that purpose is the hairpin. Never put
anything into your ears but your elbow
is sound advice, aud if universally followed
there viii be decidedly fewer cases of deaf
ness. In picking the ears, possible injury
TO the drum is by no means the only danger
to be apprehended. The lining of the cal
passage Is quite sensitive to irritation Il
requires but very little rubbing or scratch
ing to infame it, and even if that irritation
be limited to the outermOst part Of the
passage, as it is where only the finger j:
used, there is a decided tendency for the
trouble caused to extend up to and involve
the drum. Many people must have noticed
that after even gently picking the ear there
soon was felt an uncomfortable sense o
fullness deep within, giving evidence of al
extension Of the irritation. Picking tn,
ear, even if limited to the outer part of it
also gives rise to small assesses, which
many can testify are exceedingly painful
and slow to disappear.
There is naturally always small amoun
of wax in the ears. People generally thinI
/ that they should remove that from time t,
time, and for the purpose q variety of cal
spoons have been constructed. 1t is tru,
that there are occasional cases where thl
wax accumulates to such an extent i
threatens to fill up the passage. But tina
condition of things is scarcely ever noted
in healthy ear. Nature has made sucl
provisions that the wax is properly dis
posed of if it is not meddled with. Tn,
glands which secrete it are on the uppe
wall of the passage, which has just sufi
cient "pitch" to let it roll out If on
knows this fact he need not try to aid ma
ture in removing the wax, for in doing 81
Ht VIII huSt piODdbiS uclttAO hSI pldHs "
pushing it far within, the floor of the cana
slopes in the opposite direction. Tha
done, the wax is liable to remain ther
until picked out or in some other way re
moved. 1t is generally the rule that wher
one is careful to keep the ear free of wax
its secretion is very greatly increased il
consequence of the irritation set up.
DANGEROUS PRACTICES.
After what has been said it will be seel
that all interference with the outer passag
of the ear is fraught with danger, and eve
in using the towel after bathing the face
the parls about the ear should be touche,
with great gentleness. And here it is we
to say that many people incautiously max
themselves deaf by using towel or hand
kerchief, rolled in the shape of wedge t
wipe out the ear. An occasional itchin
of the ear is almost overcome by rubbin
near the passage just in front of the eal
Where the itching is quite constant, di:
eased condition of the lining of the passag
will be found, and to effect a cure the sci