Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-24
Curing the Deaf, and How
lit Is Dome.

Deafness is so common an infrmty among all
classes that it will be OF interest to those Of
readers SO afflicted TO know that curative
trea tment, based chiefly external application,
has been giving some wonderful results In Eng
land where IT is now extensively applied. In fact
the treatment, which is called the Drouet
method, has effected many remarkable cures in
England that three of the great London dailies
have each lately devoted a whole page to a de-
scription of its application 1os cases of deaf
and diseases of the ear. and throat,
cured during the first quarter January, February
and March, Of 1902 1t is especially be
marked that a We y large majority of these
had tried other forms of treatment, some having
attended at SPECIAL hospitals without obtaining
benefit. This is strong proof that the Drouet treat
ment possesses greater curative power than the
usual remedies employed by aurists. We shah try
to explain the essential feature Of the Drouet
method, the discovery Of which is due TO. French
aurist the late Dr. Drouet Of the Paris Faculty "
Medicine.
When the anatomy Of the organ of hearing is
studied We notice that all its delicate parts-the
labyrinth or inner ear, and the tympanc cavity
are carefully sheltered inside the skull. And It is
always there that the chronic maladies from which
Deafness result situated. Without the opera
ton of trepennng, It is impossible to reach these
essential parts and for long time there a
question of discovering 10y what means remedies
for restoring their functions could be applied The
most strange and ingenious processes have been
successfully employed; catheterism or imitation Of
the middle ear, application Of liquids or vapors
through the nose, Swinging, bstering.
The effects of electricity have of course, been
tried and general treatment has been assiduously
resorted to- But IT must be owned that no lasting
results have been obtained by these means, and,
account Of the difficulty of treatment Deafness
has been looked upon by all a nearly incurabls
complaint.
But Drouet hit one day on the idea OF utilizing
the well-known absorbent properties Of the skin
and tissues. He reflected that this was. in point
Of fact the way always employed Of treating
internal disorder locally and setting from this
principle be drew up the formula OF a prepara-
ton in The form Of a crescent shaped plaster.
which is applied to the mastoid process that part
Of the skull behind the ear. exactly underneath
which are situated those internal parts Of the
ditory organ Of which have just been speaking.
To these external applications an auxiliary treat
ment is generally added whenever there is any in-
fammation Of the throat, or when anti.
septic precautions are necessitated by some dis
charge from the ear. The curative treatment,
therefore, differs IN nearly every case, but
ternal applications always the foundation Of IT.
Drouet's first experiments in his method were
made at Paris, at the institute bearing bis name
Institute Drouet, and the results that he obtain
ed there were SO remarkable that two establish
ments Of the same kind have lately been founded.
one at Brussels and the other at London. Tho
marvellous. with the exception Of cases which
have been rendered completely incurable by pre-
vious surgical operations. IT may be asserted that
radical cure is usually obtained, no matter what
may be the nature or the duration Of the affection
which has caused the Deafness. Old people OF
eighty years have been completely cured, as well
as patients who had been pronounced incurable by
eminent aurists.
II is to be desired that Drouet Institutes may b
speedily founded in Canada and America, but
meanwhile deaf persons and those suffering from
serious auricular affections viii be glad to learn
that they can nnd full particulars Of the Drouet
treatment In The Journal for the Deaf" free
copy of this publication be obtained by adj
dressing the Secretary Of the Drouet Institute.
" Regent s-park-road, NV. London. England.
The Journal Is always accompanied BY . patho-
LOGICAL report form which enables each patient 70
describe his case 90 clearly that the coosuluns
surgeon can send accurate information Of TIE !
treatment necessary to effect cure. Ths Report
Form is sent without charge. and ali advice y abi
solutely free to foreign patients. AZ