The National tribune., 1890-03-27
CHAPTER LX.

There are many old men who preserve the
keenness of their eyesight to an extremely adj
yanced age, but very few who, after passing
their Goth year, do not become conscious of
more or less progressive decline in the acuteness
of the sense of hearing
PARTIAL DEAFNESS.
In its early stages of development that trouble
is perhaps less annoying than the impairment
OF any ether sense--that Of smelling perhaps
excepted. In our big cities. with their chronic
gas-leaks and fat-rendering establishments,
sensitive nose is a source of constant affiiction,
and brain-workers are often tempted to envy
the privileges of absolute deafness. "What
fayOrites Of Nature are those creatures" said
stndious naturalist of my acquaintance in point
ing out the arrangement which enables n GER
tain species of bat to close their ears by means of
an external membrane" they can exclude
sounds as we shut off an excess Of light by
closing our eyes. In nighttime, when | am
lying awake aud celebrating theories and argu-
ments would often give dollar q minute for
an hour of absolute silence. Blest are the deaf
who enjoy the privilege of listening to the voice
of their own reflections"
The inability of hearing distant sounds is,
indeed. no very serious bereavement; but, IN
fortunately, the partial deaf are often obliged
to listen 10 other sounds besides those of their
own Observation-Disclosures of the sense of hear
ing being frequently accompanied by distress
ing hummiDg or ringing in the ears. Only
few weeks ago the Editor of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE forwarded the letter of correspond
ent who compares that (almost constantly ring
ing 10 the sound OF full sized buzz saw Others
speak OF cracking, Kissing and clicking noises
though tho word ringing resembling the
vibrations of q metallic bell-eomes nearest in
describing the ailment in its most frequent
form. If the trouble is due to disease OF the
nerve Of hearing, its cure can often be achieved
only by remedies tending TO improve the gen.
erai vig0r OF the system. but numerous cases
are due to the presence OF obstructing substances
(toreigu bodies, hardened ear-wax etc. in the
inner car, and yield readily to douches of warm
or hot water mixed with pulverized bi.car-
Donate OF soda Ian excellent solyent) or common
soft soap. The plan of poking about the de-
vions canals of the inner ear with sharp instru-
ments ~ rather risky experiment and may
result in troublesome Inflammation; and in
cases where a warm-water dOuche (adminis-
tered by means of small syringe) should fail
to answer its purpose, the patient, before ap-
plying to q Surgeon. may generally with safety
try to obtain relief by the following simple
method: Get round stick Of hard wood, say
CHERRY wood penholder. and in the upper end
insert, by means of a pair of pncers. large
sized pin. Drive the pin in deep enough TO
resist nil but the most foreble attempts at re-
moval without the aid OF mechanical impe-
at least one inch
moderately smooth object Of so small a
diameter can be safely inserted beyond the
obstructing substance, which 10 will rarely
fail to dislodge on being drawn out eau
tiousiy. Warm water, however il always
the safest remedy. The Chinese are remark
ably subject TO disorders of the nerve of
hearing, and the prevalence Of those ailments
modern traveller aserbes to their habit
Of tickling the inner ear by means of stiff
barbed feather--implem of that sort be-
ing actually sold in the baZars Of Canton for
that special purpose. Diseases of n similar
sort are sometimes caused By the after effects
of a violent box on the ear. For the time
being tho trouble may subside after a few DAYS
of partial deafness, but Is apt to become chronic
in old age mt the same time when tho transient
iung-atiections of childhood reappear with the
complication of an obstinate cough and old
sears or long g-healed fractures begin to itch
again at every change of the weather.
cATARRH OF THE EAR.
Dizziness, impaired hearing and discharges
from the ear occasionally follow n severe
catarrh, and many now aud then result from
the habit Of taking plunge baths aud keeping
the head too long under water. One frequent
premonitory symptom of ear. .caiarrh is curious
droning in tho inner ear whenever the victim
OF severe catarrh tries 10 clear his nasal ducts
by violent effort "snufiling"l. For time
perhaps for three or four minutes together
a hollow murmur is heard, as il in the inside
OF the head. till. on drawing the air in again,
the abnormal noises as suddenly stop Another
suspicious symptom is one.sided deafness, or
the inability TO hear with one ear as we'll
as with the other. The latter predicament
Is often discovered only accidentally. rs, for
instance. by placing watch close to tho right
ear and hndiug-to the patient snrprse-that
the ticking cannot DO heard half as plainly on
tho other side. If pains in the inner ear and
occasional discharges of purulent matter should
accompany those symptoms the patient should
lose no time in seeking professional assistance,
as delay may result in liberation OF the drum
membrane, accompanied by pains as excTuciaL-
ing rs tue worst attacks of neuralgia. Fomen-
tations should be applied to tho throat aud the
lower jaw just below the seat of tho affection
aud the hot-water douehe should be repeated
from hour 10 hour till suppuration has subsidized
sufficiently To relieve the most distressing
symptoms Pouring oil and fluid painkllers"
into the ear IL apt To aggravate the trouble and
"A much better plan is the injection Of warm
| air by mechanical contrvances or simply by
| breathing. The latter operation may be per-
formed by proxy, but also by the patients clos
ing his own mouth and nostrils and then max
ing "a forcibe attempt TO expel his breath
through the nose. The result will be 10 initiate
the ear. and by and by to dislodge the obstruct-
ing suppuration. by that simple remedy OBJ
stinato ear-aches may be relieved in less than
| a quarter of an hour, and l remember case
where nervous deafness was cured in tho same
way The "ear-gymnastics recommended by
u French physician may owe their efficacy TO a
| cause that can probably bc explained on the
| same principle. The plan consists in exposing
| tho affected ear to series Of loud aud contin-
| uons noises. such as the droning of u gong or
the clangor of heavy bell The vibration of
| the sound waves may exert n beneficial inilu.
ence on tho affected nerve; and il is u curious
fact that soldiers partially deafened by the
| roar of artillery or tho explosion of n large
she'll have occasionally regained their hearing
| in the next battle.
In cases OF chronic deafness where a sudden
Improvement of that sort is followed by dis
charge of pus 10 indicates that the unexpected
| relief has been obtained by the timely opening
| Of tumor, which, perhaps might have been
| evacuated long ago by the timely application
| Of warm water. Persons subject 10 ear. troubles
ought 10 make it rule, at least once n week,
| TO bathe the inner ear with sponge, about the
size of peanut. which should be securely fast
| ened TO small. rounded piece of wood and
dipped into water as warm as il can bo applied
without positive discomfort.
ITO be colhinuedJ