The Penn's Grove record., 1893-07-28
CARE OF u EARS.

most frequent cause of deaEness. The
catarrhal difficulty usually commences
in the nose and throat, and extends mp
the Eustachian tube to the tympanum.
II the attack is acute, eara9he is pro-
duced. This may pass OF in n short
time, but unless the patient isproperly
treated, n slight dullness of hearing
usually remains. Other attacks almost
invariably follow. and the'e finally
lead to chronic catarrh Of the middle
ear and obstinate deafness. In many
cases the catarrh or 'duaHY affects
the ear, and no pain is expert
enced. Dizziness of hearing and per-
haps buzzing in the ears are the first
symptoms noticed. These slowly IN
crease in severity. until at last conver-
satiou can no longer he hoard, mil the
{ roaring in the head" is exceedingly
annoying.
As eatarrh of the nose and throat 's
the most frequent cause of this diff
Guilty, it may be realty inferred that
if we can avoid Catching Cold" we
shall do n 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
part CT the time. in a close, over
heated room most easily take colo. To
add to the difficulty, such persons are
apt to wrap themselves mp too much,
and as a 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 extremlties
are warmly clad. They are led through
the streets in this way when tue weather
is raw and cold. In consequence they
take Geld, and oftep suffer from ear
ache. Passing from a room, when
warm and perspIring, into cold, open
air, is a frequent cause OF acute Gu
tarrh. AhsS sitting in draughts, espec-
tally when heated. Bathers who re-
main in the water too long, and who
dive frequently are apt to suffer from
catarrh of the pharynx and ears.
Travelling men are often troubled
with catarrh. This is mainly due to
the fact that in a car there are strong
draughts of air and a 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
intiammatory process runs so high that
pus is formed in the tympanum, We
have d much more serious disease. The
purulent deposit rapidly increases,
until at last the tympanic membrane
is ruptured, and the pus escapes from
the auditory canal. What is commonly
known as a running from the ear"
then exists. 1t may cease IN a few
days, or become chronic, and continue
for years. Measles, smallpox, scarlet
fever, and %whooping cough are frequent
causes of this trouble; and when ply
sicians have charge of patients who
are suffering from these complaints, it
is their duty to guard against ear com
plications a far as possible. The no.
ton hat children will "outgrow" a
discharge from the ear, and that moth
ing a ed be done to arrest 1t, Is dan
gerous in the extreme. Parents ought
Fnlwavs at such times to consult a doc
tor, and have everything possible
zone, iOr II inc utCerduion tHt "LS
charge continue, the ear will be de-
stroysd, and perhaps the life of the
patient. The middle ear is separated
from the membranes Of the brain by
only a very thin plate of bone, which
sometimes becomes diseased, breaks
down, and then death from meningitis
or cerebro spinal abscess quickly fol-
lows. We can not he too earnest upon
this point, for it is vital.
Conclusion not uufrequently pro-
dlces deafness. In these cases the
terminal ibres of the auditory nerve
are probably affected. Men w%ho>labor
tin the din Of boiler shops or other fac
tories where there is a great deal OF
! noise often suffer from this cause. Al
SO railroad engineers and their fire.
men, though catarrh, induced by al
most constant exposure, often compli.
Gates the difficulty with this class.
When those employed to gil such prac-
es find that the sense of hearing is
becoming blunted, it Is best for them
to change their occupation, If possible,
and thus escape the cause OF the diff
Guilty,