Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-08-02
CARE OF OUR EARS.

Catarrh of the mi'lf'e car IS the
most frequent canse OF deafness. Ipe
cetarrhaI difficult USUALLY comm en- 'es
- the nose and throat, and extends up
tbe Fustachiar tube to the tympanum.
n the attack is acute, eara,he 8 pro.
duced This may PISS cff IN snort
time. but unless the patient is properly
treated. a slight dullness OF hearing
usnolIy remains. Other attacks 81 most
Invariably follow. aud the Q finally
Load 10 chronic catqrrh of the middle
ear and obstinate deafness. In many
cases the ca'arrh or 'duaty huects
the ear, and no pain Is expsri-
enced. Dullness of hear n9 and per
hans buzzing in the ears are the hrst
symntoms noticed. These slowly IN
crease in severity. until at last conver-
sstiou can no longer he heard, nni the
roaring in the head" is exceedingly
annoying.
As catarrh of the nose and throat IS
the mcst frequent cause OF tins diih.
Guilty, it may be readily inferred that
If we can avoid "catchIng cold, we
shall do great deal toward preserv
ing our hearing To do this, we
should, in the first place, take plenty
of fresh air. Those VINO remain a great
mart of the time in a close, over
heated room most easily take cold. 10
add TO the difficulty, such persons are
apt to wrap themselves up too mucn'
and as n consequence, become sepsi-
tive to the least atmospheric change.
Sitting In wet clothes should always
be avoided. Little children are often
times improperly dressed. having
scarcely any covering on their legs,
while the body and upper eItremiiles
are warmly clad. They are led through
the streets in this way when the weather
is raw and cold. In consequence they
take cold, and often suffer from ear
ache. Passing from a room, when
warm and persplring, into cold, open
air. is a frequent cause of acute Ca
tarrh. Also sitting in draughts, espec-
iaIIy when heated. Fathers who re-
main in the water too long, and who
dive frequently are apt to suder from
catarrh of the pharynx aud ears.
Travelling men are often troubled
with catarrh. This is mainly due TO
the fact that in a car there are strong
drauphts of air and q constantly chang
ing temperature We might enumer-
ate many other causes of cold, but as
they are familiar to almost every one,
it is not necessary.
When. during an attack OF acute
catarrhal inflammation of the ear, the
lufJammatory process runs so high that
Us is formed in the tympanum, we
have much more serious disease. The
lurulent deposit rapidly increases,
until at last the tympsnic membrane
is ruptured, and the pas escapes from
tie auditory canal. What is commonly
known as running from the ear
then exists. 1t may cease IN few
,ngs, or become chronic. and continue
for years. Measles, smallpox, scarlet
fever. and whoopin cough are frequent
rurs ses of this trouble; and when phy-
siclans have charge of patients who
ur suffering from these complaints, 1t
is their duty to guard against ear COM
plications as far as possible. he no.
ton that children will "outgrow' a
discharge from the ear, and that moth Q
.ng med be done to arrest 1t, Is dan.
Carous in the extreme. Parents ought
al Ssys at such times to consult 400
t., and have everything possible
doae, for if the liberation aud dis
Charge continue, the ear Will be de-
Stroyed, anu perhaps Tue hie VI VIC
patient. The middle ear is separated
from the membranes of the brain by
OILY a very tnin plate of bone, which
sometimes becomes diseased. breaks
down, and then death from meningitis
or cerebro spinal abscess quickly fol-
Laws We can not e too earnest upon
this point, for it is vital.
Concus ION not uufr.quentiy pro-
d ces deafness. In these cases the
terminal fbres of the auditory nerve
are probably affected. Men who labor
in the din of boiler shops or other fac
tories where there is great deal OF
noise often suffer fsom this cause. Al
so railroad engineers aud their fire.
men, though ca.atrh, induced by al
most constant exposure, often compli-
Gates the difficulty with this class.
When those employed TO fill such plac-
IS find that the sense OF hearing Is
becoming blunted, it Is best for them
to change their occupation, If possible,
aud thus escape the cause Of the diff
Guilty.