South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-16
WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO TO
AVOID ATTACKS OF VERTIGO

In all nature there is no more ter
rifying thing than the experiences
Of an earthquake. When the earth
loses its stability the very foundation
Of existence seems to be swept away.
OF al the symptoms one may suf-
fer, there is none more disturbing
than a sudden attack Of vertigo.
Vertigo. dizziness, giddiness, swim
ming in the head" are expressions
used 10 describe loss Of balance. or
ny disturbance in the normal state
Of equilibrium.
The most interior portion Of the
ear is tucked away within the bony
walls Of the skull. Important por-
tions Of this rather complicated ar
rangement are the three tiny canals,
each lacking but a narrw segment
Of being a complete circle.
Half-close your right hand, so that
your straight fingers are at right
angles TO your pam. Rest the out
side edge of your bent right hand on
the upturned pam OF your left hand.
Imagine one OF the semi-circular
canals 10 lie H. the plane OF your
right palm, another at right angles
10 this, in the plane Of the fingers
of your right hand. and the third at
right angles TO both the others, In
the plane Of your left palm. This
il the position in which these canals
are placed in your internal ear.
The semi-circular canals are very
narrow, about one-twentieth Of an
inch in diameter. They contain CIR
culating fluid and act, in a sense,
, lie spirit levels, or rather a combina-
ton OF three spirit levels at different
angles.
They are so connected with the
body and brain by delicate nervous
hbers that, no matter how your body
is placed or your head is tilted. you
are conscious of your exact position
in space. You cannot get into a
position which does not effect the
fluid in one or the other semi-cir-
cular canals.
OF course, all the portions OF the
internal ear or labyrinth as il IS
called. have a part in this particular
function. but the senii-circular can
ais are most important.
Some persons are not so well
equipped for perfect balance as
others. During the war no man was
permitted 10 enter the aviation SER
vice until his internal ear functions
had been tested thoroughly. His
sence of equilibrium. or bodily ball
ance. had 10 be perfect, or the APP
pllcant was not considered fit TO
be an aviator.
Not all cases OF vertigo are due 70
trouble in the internal ear. There
are many other cases.
When due 10 ear trouble the YER
tigo takes one or two forms. In the
first there IS a slight. Quickly-pas-
sing C!ddiness. or there may be al
most total loss OF consciousness and
falling 10 the ground II water IS
too forcibly syringed into the ear.
or II an excess OF wax IS impacted
in the ear. these symptoms may re-
suit
II the trouble IS in the semi-cir-
cular canals. the exact symptoms de-
pend on which canal is affected.
There is always a tendency 10 fall
in one particular direction-to the
right. 10 the left, backward or for
ward
Likewise. certain definite move
ments OF the body cause vertigo. For
instance, on attempting 10 arise from
lying down. or on throwing the head
backward. forward or 10 one side,
on will come an attack Of vertigo.
Any given movement. whenever Il
is attempted. may bring on dizziness.
This shows that one particular can
al is out OF order.
All forms OF vertigo due 10 ear
distul Dance are associated with
noises in the ears. These noises may
be described as buzzing. or ringing
or humping. or singing-they- are
characterized by every name. From
what ! have told you about vertigo
you viii see that Il is merely a symp-