270 THE WONDERFUL HOUSE THAT JACK HAS 



breath having a soothing effect. One should not pour 

 sweet oil, glycerine, or similar liquids into the ear to 

 cure earache, unless advised to do so by a physician. 

 Although such fluid, if heated, may relieve the pain for 

 a time, it is likely to become rancid and furnish soil 

 for the growth of harmful mold. 



A discharge of pus from the ear may always be con- 

 sidered a symptom so dangerous to the sense of hearing 

 that an aurist should be consulted. Such discharge is 

 usually thin and mild in its character at first. If 

 allowed to continue, it becomes greater in quantity, 

 very irritating, and of a most disagreeable odor. Its 

 cause is usually severe inflammation of the outer or 

 middle ear, a condition which often follows an attack 

 of scarlet fever or measles. When the discharge is 

 from the middle ear, the inflammation has brought 

 about a puncture of the drumhead. Even when the 

 inflammation is in the outer ear, there is danger of 

 puncturing the drumhead, if the trouble is not relieved. 

 Displacement of the chain of bones and impairment of 

 hearing usually follow permanent injury to the drum- 

 head. Nor is impairment of hearing the only danger. 

 Such inflammation may extend through the middle and 

 inner ear to the brain and even cause death. 



One of the things boys like best to do is to go in 

 swimming, though few realize that too frequent and 

 too careless visits to the old swimming hole have 

 caused many a lad to be handicapped for life by poor 

 hearing. Jumping into the water from high places 



