The Washington times., 1917-02-20
MEDICINE
BY DR.. HIRSHBERG
Intelligent Observation of Rules
of Hygiene viii De-
crease Illness.
By DIR. L. X. HIRsHBERG.


The parchmsht which separates
the inner ear from the outer ear is
not only finer than the real sheep
skin of q fine kettle drum, but 1t is
attached to q small muscle, which.
when needed, tightens up to deaden
loud noises when they strain the
membrane.
stretched unevenly across the OPEN
NIT accurately to the chain of bones
behind It air movements from 16 to
10000 per second.
In the inner wall Of the middle ear
are two small drums. One is across
an oval opening, into which the stir
rup-shaped bone fits. Tho other
stretches across q round opening.
Just behind these two little drums
lies the third or internal ear, shaped
like . conch or periwinkle she'll Its
broad end lies against the two open
ings. Instead OF one spiral canal IL
has two, one Of which lies behind
each Of the. small drums.
Just behind the oval aperture
like two pretzelH-lis the three SEMI
circular canals. II is the fluid in the
arms of these "pretzels" which makes
for your stability. They are created
on the principle of o carpenters spirit
levels, one fore to aft, one fiat, and
the third right to left. By them you
feel ,''fine," upright" ~dizzy," head
going around" and "topheavy." The
semi-circular canals tell yod where
to shift your ''center OF gravity"
The Inner Ear.
The inner ear IL q Pandora's box
Of marvels. Round and round the
double, conch-shell spirals, resting
on the fine membrane which divides
them, are something over 1900 little
knob-tipped rods. They are gradu-
ated in siss, Just like the hammers
for the strings Of . piano. Each rests
In q hollow pad made for 1t. A fluid
surrounds them and communicates air
moSements-sound Vibrates-to the
appropriate rod.
The membrane upon which these
rest 10 said to consist OF an almost
infinite number OF strings, which be.
come progressively shorter and shnr-
ter as they reach the point or apex
Of the conch-shell.
BY means Of this piano-like appa
rstua, sounds are carried to the rest
Of your person" by way Of little
nerves, which come from the strings
and are sorted out In the central
switchway, to wit, the brain
II an orchestra plays q symphony
you viii only appreciate It II In child
hood and youth enough hammers and
strings OF the inner ear have been
made sufficiently pliable to ensnsre
and vibrste with "evsry little move
~ Z
are transmitted by the outer cal
through the drum to the three bonel
across the middle ear and then to the
oval drum and TO the round inneI
drum. The semi-circular canals will
make you turn your head in the di
rection of the music, while the vesti
bule, with its vibrating hammer anf
strings, will help you to appreciate
the composition played.
Transmission of sound.
A large nerve as thick as q thread
of English wool forms the link of the
three ears on the right side-and the
left side aIso-wtth the brain, which
is the shifting and sitting center OF
cries.
between 'Iookins'' and seeing" %
there IL difference between "listen
ing and "hearing" A person who
merely sees q thing may have nc
clear account of what he sees. Hit
personality and mental self has moi
received Il. Consciously and attenta
lively he was blind. His gaze hai
been checked while IN "browr
study" When he really looks" at 6
thing his ego takes in the eye mes
sages fully.
Similarly, you may 'hear" a great
deal with your ears, but you can only
"listen" with all your fabric and tbs
sues attuned to the rhythm OF the
sounds which enter the ear.
,r.--,, 1917 hv Nevrpaper Feature seryics),