g^* Observations on the Deftrucl'ton 



hear, even at the moft diftant part of the theatre, every word! 

 that was delivered ; though, to avoid the regular and con- 

 ftant exertion which it required, he preferred placing himfelf 

 neac the iccturer. 



I found, however, that when a note was (truck upon the 

 pin) forte, he could hear it only at two-thirds of the dif- 

 tance at which I could hear it mvfelf ; and he informed me, 

 that in a voyage he had made to the Eaft Indies, while 

 others, when (hips were hailed at fea, could catch words 

 with accuracy, his organ of hearing received only an in- 

 cli timet impreffioil. But the molt extraordinary circum- 

 stance in Mr. P 's cafe is, that the ear was nicely fuf» 



ceptible of mufical tones ; for be flayed well on the fiute^ 

 and had frequently borne a part in a concert. I fpeak this, 

 not from his own authority only, but alfo from that of his 

 father, who is an excellent judge of mufic, and plays well 

 on the violin : he told me, that his fon, befides playing on 

 the (lute, lung with much tafte, and perfectly in tune. 



The flight degree of deafnefs of which Mr. P. complained, 

 was always greatly increafed by his catching cold: an effect 

 which fecms to have arifen from the meatus being clofed by 

 an accumulation of the natural fecretion of the ear; for it 

 frequently happened to him, after he had been Tome time 

 deaf from cold, that a large piece of hardened wax, during 

 a fit of coughing, wis forced from the car, by the air ruining 

 from the mouth through the Euftachian tube, and his hear- 

 ing was inuantly reftored. 



From bathingj likcwife, he fufFered coniiderable inconve- 

 nience, unlefs his ears were guarded againft the water, by 

 cotton beii ■reed into the meatus. When this 



precaution was neglected, the water, as he plunged in, by 

 Vufhing into the interior parts of the ears, occafioned violent 

 pain, and brought on a deafnefs, which continued until the 

 caufe was removed, that is, until the water was dilcharged: 

 but he had acquired the habit of removing it, by forcing air 

 from the mouth through the ear. 



In a healthy ear, when the meatus audi lorius. is (topped 



1 the finger, or is otherwifc clofed, a noife finular to that 



it roaring of the fea | .'red: this arifes irons 



8 the 



