Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-25

cesses or horns being the fulcrom.
"The process. or horn, Is attached
to the stirrup bone which has . foot I
platet pressing into the window In the
labyrinth, or internal ear containing
the nerve organs. So the impulse.
plate and thence through the window |
OF the internal ear This contains |
fluid, which carries the impulse. |
transmitting It, In very complicated |
manner to the nerve organs themsel- |
YES, These ossicles In the middle ear !
are connected by joints. Just as com.
plete in every detail as the larger /
| Joints of the body, like the hip Joints,
having a capsule. joint fluid. liga-
| Hentss etc. Also there are two little
| muscles In the middle ear to keep
| this chain Of bones tense In good
! working order to transmit their i'm
| pulses. These all work in medium
| Of air and in order to provide this
| air and have 1t the same the air in the
| outside world, we have what is known
as the Eustachian tube, which allows
air to enter the middle ear from the
back part OF the nose and throat. This
| furnishes the ventilation for the mid
! die ear or conducting chamber. This
makes up the conducting apparatus
but it does more than conduct these
impulses from the sound waves. 1t
transforms them by means OF the
lever before mentioned with the anvil
as the fulcrum.
at changes them from waves OF
long excursion and slow duration to
those of shorter excursion and great
err intensity. The human ear nor
mally hears tones as low as 16
double vibrations per second, by
these means. while without this con-
duction apparatus, 1t can hear only
tones Of 512 double vibrations and
above. That is, the internal ear, the
nerve organ themselves can hear
and interpret these higher tones all
right without the aid Of the con-
Quoting apparatus. These higher
tones may be carried directly onto
the windows of the labyrinth and be
picked up there without these ossi-
cles but the lower tones cannot he
interpreted except by their transfor-
nation by means Of this conduction
apparatus.
Deafness may be divided into
two classes: Perception deafness and
conduction deafness. The former is
where the impairment is due to some
tr> lble with the nerve organs, path
ways or centers of hearing: the per-
ception apparatus; while the latter
, has to do with loss of junction due
to disturbance with this conduction
apparatus which has just been men,
|. toned,
"Conduction deafness may be d.
vided into suppurative and non
suppurative conditions; that is,
cases where an there Is an infection
: and cases where the trouble Is ca
tarrhal. The former type we speak
of as otitis media. frequently called
by the laity. "abscesses of the ear"
They may be acute or chronic and
as mastoiditis.
perception deafness occurs when
! there Is some injury or destruction
to the nerve endings in the internal
ear: or some damage or obstruction
along the nerve pathways to the
: brain or to the center Of the hearing
in the brain itself. 1t may be due
to suppuration, to injury such as
, fracture of the skull, or to some sys-
tematic disease, toxemia from 'infec-
, ton, or some drug. or 1t may be cen
; trail in origin, such as brain tumor
= pressing on the nerve pathways or
, NOV. as said before, most Of these
: cases of deafness, with the exception of
the otosclerotic type and certain of
the perception deafness group, can be
prevented--not cured, but prevented
/ from increasing after they have al
. ready taken place. The main problem
is their prevention before they occur.
, BY eugenic birth control we may stamp
, out the otosclerotics. Generally speak
, ing, the problem rests in the child and
, sometimes in the young adult. I think
I am safe in making the statement that
fully 90 per cent of the cases Of deaf
ness are preventable. How may this
! be done? BY careful attention to the
general health, hygiene and habits; the
proper precautions during sickness;
and seeing to it that we have normal
conditions of the nose and throat.
by keeping the body in good gen.
eral condition we may avoid a lower
ing of resistance to infection. Plenty
of rest, fresh air and good ventilation
at all times, exercise and avoidance of
constipation will DO a great deal. The
Importance of proper food or diet cam
not be over-emphasized. An ill-bal-
anced diet may tend to frequent colds.
Nose conditions similar to colds have
been caused artificially in rate by elm
mating certain necessary factors in
diet. The tendency to colds may lead
to conditions causing Deafness and
each succeeding cold is an added blow
increasing the impairment. Early con-
sultation with the physician when any
thing abnormal is noted in physical
condition may save a great deal of
trouble. In few words, live normal
lives, keeping in good physical condi-
| ton and avoid colds.
"In closing, let me repeat that most
deafness is preventable. Prevention
depends on general health, hygiene and
habits, and normal nose and throat
and should be instituted early in life.
An intelligent cooperation of the gen.
eral public in this problem, which is
economic as well as medical, will do a
great deal towards eliminating the
handicap of deafness"
|
The annual inspection Of Water
vile Lodge, No. 33, F. and A. NJ.
was held last evening at Masonic
hall. The meeting was preceded
by a fine banquet served at $50 by
the ladies of the Eastern Star. The
menu consisted of baked beans, hot
/ rolls, pickles, cakes, pies and cof-
fee.
B. X. Meservey wA the inspecting
officer.