THE HYGIENE OF THE EAR. 145 



is more injurious to those who are in a confined space with them, and 

 also if the mouth be open. Injury from loud sounds, also, is much 

 more likely to occur if they are unexpected ; for, if they are anticipated, 

 the membrane is prepared for them, without our knowledge, by its 

 muscles. At certain points on the Rhine, it is, or was, the custom of 

 the captain of the steamboat to fire a small cannon, to exhibit the echo. 

 When this has been done without due warning, it has proved more 

 than once a cause of lasting deafness. Sometimes these loud sounds 

 rupture the membrane ; sometimes they deaden the nerve : the former 

 is the least evil. 



It is a bad practice, also, to put cotton-wool soaked in laudanum or 

 chloroform into the ear for the relief of toothache. It may be some- 

 times effectual, for the nervous connection between the teeth and the 

 ear is very close. But the ear is far too delicate and valuable an organ 

 to be used as a medium for the application of strong remedies for dis- 

 orders of other and less important parts ; and laudanum, and more 

 especially chloroform, is a powerful irritant. The teeth should be 

 looked after in and for themselves, and, if toothache spreads to the ear, 

 that is the more reason for taking them thoroughly in hand ; for pro- 

 longed pain in the head, arising from the teeth, may itself injure the 

 hearing. When a child's ear becomes painful, as it so often does, 

 every thing should be done to soothe it, and all strong, irritating appli- 

 cations should be avoided. Pieces of hot fisc or onion should not be 

 put in ; but warm flannels should be applied, with poppy-fomentation, 

 if the pain does not soon subside. How much children suffer from 

 their ears, unpitied because unknown, it would probably wring the 

 hearts of those who love them suddenly to discover. It is often very 

 hard, even for medical men, to ascertain that the cause of a young 

 child's distress is seated in the ear, and frequently a sudden discharge 

 from it, with a cessation of pain, first reveals the secret of a myste- 

 rious attack which has really been an inflammation of the drum. The 

 watchfulness of a parent, however, would probably suffice to detect the 

 cause of suffering, if directed to this point, as well as to others. If 

 children cry habitually when their ears are washed, that should not be 

 neglected ; there is, most likely, some cause of pain. Many mem- 

 branes are destroyed from discharges which take place during " teeth- 

 ing." Whenever there is a discharge of matter from the ear, it would 

 be right to pour in warm water night and morning, and so at least to 

 try and to keep it clean. But into the treatment of diseases of the ear 

 it would not be suitable to enter here. Abridged from the People's 

 Magazine. 



VOL. III. 10 



