Evening star., 1935-06-04

alities since they seem to arise As
part OF the complex Of the develop
ment Of the individual and OCCASION
ally show a tendency to become fixed
in heredity.
Ear exostoses," he says, "consti-
tute a special complex or entity be-
longing not In the field OF diseases
but in that Of abnormalities, and
must be directly connected with
neuro-vascular arrangements which
have their seat in the trophic nerv-
Gus centers that control the bony
structures Of the external auditory
canal.
1T Is plain that all structures in
the body must be formed and main.
tained under the direction Of special
nervous centers which as vet are
known but very imperfectly, but the
existence and regulatory function of
which are necessary. and which are
called the trophic centers. They are
highly important parts of the central
government Of each individual organ
ism. They act upon the blood and
lymph supply, and in other effective
ways. The tissues themselves can
have no architectonic individuality.
They are but so much living mate
rial from which. under the hereditar-
lily fixed specific influence of the
nervous centers, there are built dif-
ferent structures.
Nor does the function Of these
centers end with the finish of the
construction, just as the function of
q city government cannot end with
the completion of its streets and
houses. There is perpetual guardian
ship under the continued power of
heredity and there are perpetual
changes. for heredity is not fully dis
charged or satisfied with the compile
ton OF the structures. 1t is a lifetime
factor. Here lies the clue that con-
fronts us in our study of ear exostoses
AS long as both the heredity and
the nervous apparatus that subserves
IL IN connection with any given part
OF the organism are normal, that part
VIII, unless in some way injured. re-
main normal. If. in the absence of
chemical mechanical or bacteriological
injury. a part behaves abnormally. it
- -@A NAAAaSotAoiidoiC tIIdD JDdC
point and to that extent there Is either
weakening or arrangement of the
hereditary control or of its proper
transmission,
The something we call heredity
must not be conceived as any special
power acting within and upon an or
ganiSm. 1t can in the end consist
only OF specific organization within
and between the molecules OF the cells
OF the nervous centers. Such organ
ization Is, as rule. deeply fixed and
not readily Influenced. It may. how
ever, be affected by deep-acting
causes. still but little known.
THE wide prevalence of ear exos-
toses in the human family and their
manifestations as to age and sex seem
to speak against arrangements of
nerve transmission. These leave as
the most probable basic cause q weak
ening or arrangement of the normal
hereditary control of the tympanic
bone and parts adjacent.
only one thought may here be per-
missible, but that must not be taken
for an assertion. Within some 500 600
yenAS AoA PAoSicSS, cSPcClally as
concerns his brain and head, has far
outstripped that Of all the lest of
creation. This rapid progress and diff
ferentiation, with a spread to all re-
g1ons and exposure to multitude Of
new factors, has prevented in many
respects full adjustment Of all parts,
full harmonization and stability in
all regions. There is a possibility that
the central trophic control Of the ex-
ternal meatal region in the greatly
enlarged, altered and still altering
skull, has not regained the full, life
long adequacy that it possessed be-
fore. T,is, would mark the abnor.