Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-21


The missing ear. or, rather port1on
thereof. was required by gentleman
who had. in a shooting accident some
time before, had the misfortune to lose
the lower half of his right ear. After
the necessary operation he was for some
time without that portion of his ear
which had been shot away. and without
any substitute for it. 1t was only when
he should try to get an imitation lower
half fitted. SO as to take away any notice
able deformity. that he devoted any con-
Germ of this nature to the subject
Thus 1t was that the dealer came t.
be commissioned to manufacture for tnt
gentleman an artificial ear. or, to be pre-
else, the lower half Of one. The mode
Of procedure in the case was as follows:
The subject to be operated upon having
been placed in an easy position. and re-
Quired to keep perfectly still. plaster
cast-that is, model in plaster OF Paris-.
was taken of the remaining portion OF
the right ear, and also one of the per
feet left ear. Such a cast as this. the
dealer explained, took about half an hour
to make BY a special process OF the
makers the cast is removed from the
generally resorted to in removing such
casts
The plaster-cast model taken and al
lowed to harden. molten wax is poured
in and given sufficient time to set thor
oughly Then 1t is taken out and from
this wax model, with the model, also. OF
the whole left ear before him, clever
workman proceeds to construct the real
model of the missing part. exactly to
correspond in size and appearance with
the remaining portion, so as to make a
right ear as perfect as possible. This
model. to be used. is made from spe-
cial secret composition of metallic
nature, which, Is extraordinarily light and
pltable. When this workman has done
his model it is passed on to another
man, who undertakes the enameling of
it. and SO beautifully manipulates his
coloring OF the artificial ear that 1t is
difficult to tell that the color is not
natural
By the time the latter process has
been finished the manufactured lower
portion of the ear is ready for being
fastened to the upper part yet remaining
on the gentleman's head. The maker
effects this by special devices OF his
own A ring Of the same metallic com
position as that of which the model is
composed is made to fit round the top
of the real half Of the ear in such
manner as to be quite invisible to ordi-
nary observation, and small flesh.
colored funnel also fits into the tube OF
the real ear. and SO holds the lower por-
ton firmly in its place. 1t was said by
the dealer that the gentleman possessing
this wonderfully modelled ear could be
among a roomful Of people without any
one having an idea Of his not possessing
real ears like themselves, so perfectly
does the model fit and serve its purpose
In addition to this. the possessor can
take it off and put it on in few sec
onds. just at his pleasure, without the
slightest difficulty. Two months, said
the dealer. are required to make an ear
- 49, i,oH
finish, and the cost is a trifle less than
$50. The section and fittings weigh
less than half an ounce.
Such a job as this ear section was, the
dealer remarked, a very unusual one
indeed, in his experience, unique. Of
noses, he said, there are several imi-
tation ones doing duty on faces that one
meets on his daily rounds through the
streets. Many have been injured or
destroyed as the result of accidents. not
by any means always from careless
handling OF firearms. Fortunately, arti-
fetal noses are now to be obtained OF
superior excellence and finish.
In every case, 1t seems. where an 1mi-
tation nose, or part Of one. Is required.
model is made of the entire nose OF the
subject, just as in the case OF the ear
section described, ana from THIS an lInl-
tation feature Is made in a similar man
ner. Only the nose is always made as
a whole, not as a part; this being neces-
sary, it was explained. not only for the
look of the organ. but owing to the
method of attachment required. this be-
ing now generally attained by the wear
ing of spectacles. which, coming over 1t.
are SO adjusted as to keep the artificial
respiratory organ in its place. So thin
and ciose-fitting is this nasal cover and
so exactly colored to match the rest of
the wearer's face. that 1t Is said to be
in most cases simply impossible to tell
from casual glance that one is worn
at all by the possessor Of It, SO COM
mon are artificial noses that 1t is said one
New York firm turns out, on an average,
about one a week.
Artificial lips are rarities. in compa rason
to noses They require just as much skill
to make as the latter and are kept in
position by means of attachments to the
inside Of the mouth, and the teeth. How
ever the dealer said he could supply
them in about the same time 1t took to
make the ear section. Noses can often
be supplied at few days notice.
The most common of artificial organs