Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-09-09
YOU HAVE SIX EARS.
THE ORGANS OF HEARING ARE a
WONDERFUL SET OF MACHINES.


Anvfi-. Two stfrrsps. SIX Canals.
Two snail shells, six Drum. ana
Several Other Curiou. Usensil.. q
The hearing apparatus is far more
wonderful than most people have the
slightest idea or. II is a marvellous
collection OF instruments for receiving
magnifying and recording sounds or
vibrations, as the learned term them.
What you DO when you speak to a
friend Is 10 throw the air into vibra-
ton. Your vocal organs strike the air.
and the impulses thus caused reach the
trumpet shaped bits OF flesh and gristle
you call ears. You have Altogether six
ears.
The flaps which are stuck on 10 each
side OF the head are the outer ears Be
sides these there are the middle ears
and the inner ears, ali OF which lie fin
cavities in the bones OF the head. All
that the flaps do Is TO collect aud con-
centrate the vibrating currents OF air.
so that they may strike the ear drums.
These latter are really the middle
ears The outer ear narrows rs II en-
tiers the head and ends IN ring. A
membrane is stretched over this ring.
much In the same way as n piece of
parchment is stretched over the head
OF drum
The ear drum is a true drum. for II
can be frightened and slackened bv
means OF levers made for that purpose
The tightening and slackening are done
quite automatically TO suit the various
sounds
This is how Il is frightened: In the
middle ear are four tiny bones. the
most peculiar looking bones imagina-
Die. The biggest is little odd shaped
bone called the mallet. IL looks like a
lilliputian version OF a Holsters claw
Minute muscles are attached To II. so
that IL may act as a lever To increase
or diminish the tension OF the drum
skin One muscle relaxes the mem
brane. another pulls II taut
The four bones form 4 chain to con
meet the drum skin OF the outer ear with
the drum skin OF the inner and 50 To
conduct the sound The next bone To
the mallct IS the anvil, then come the
spherical bone ana the stirrup. which
looks exactly like it's namcsake. but IL
is 10y far the most Important OF the
four by means OF this alone one can
hear. in 4 fashion. even il all the others
be gone.
bOny. griStly tube joins the ear
drum with the back OF the mouth at
the side OF the soft palate. Hence the
four bones are always in n bath OF air.
quite naked. MS IL were. Ii is owing TO
this that people who are somewhat
deaf are able TO hear better when they
listen with their mouths open.
Now we come 10 the inmost ear.
which is made up OF three parts The
first one is called the vestibule, or hall.
and IL has drumhead TO which the
chain Of little bones is attached.
The hall leads to the other parts.
both OF which consist OF tortuous tubes
along which the sound passes one
part Is made OF three scmicircular
canals. The other * shaped exactly as
snail's shell. All these make an a
peculiar labyrinth, and all are com
pletely filled with curious fluid. Their
walls are lined with the soft. pulpy
nerves OF hearing which communicate
with the brain. Owing 10 these com
pick and winding cavities. n great ex.
tent OF nerves Is exposed for the recep-
ton OF sound.
Now let us see what happens when
somebody says "Hearw 10 YOU
The air is thrown into vibrations.
which spread out and out until they
touch the side OF your head. There
the tleshy dap on one side collects and
magazines the vibrations
Down the ear funnel they pass until
they reach the membrane OF the drum
OF the ear. They strike on the mem.
brane. which adapts itself 20 them.
Then the vibrations are communicated,
through the bones in the middle ear.
To the membrane covering the entrance
10 the labyrinth.
II you keep your mouth wide open
the air vibrations pass direct TO the
little bones. The impulses OF the air
are not interrupted 10y first having TO
strike the membrane or the drum: that
Is all the difference.
People could easily converse with
their ears scaled up. Ir the two
speakers each held an end OF the same
piece OF hard wood against their teeth
even the faintest whisper could be un.
derstoOd.
You will see from this that what are
commonly called the ears are not cs.
sentially necessary To hearing. after
oil.
We'll. however the vibrations are re
ceived. they finally strike against the
membrane covering the entrance 10 the
ball OF the labyrinth. Thence they
make the iuid which ILLS the labyrinth
vibrate. These vibrations act on the
hbers Of the auditory nerve, the fhers
which coat the inner ear Along this
nerve the Impressions are communicat.
ed 10 the brain. In this manner the
sensation OF sound is produced. and
you know that somebody said "hearw
TO you.