318 CARE OF THE EAR. 



Only that part of the auditory nerve which is distributed 

 in the " snail-shell " of the ear is now supposed to have to do 

 with hearing. It is no longer believed that the Semicircular 

 Canals are concerned with the process of hearing. There 

 seems to be good evidence that the semicircular canals inform 

 us as to changes of the position of the body, and they are 

 regarded as the seat of an " equilibrium, sense." The fact 

 that one of these canals is horizontal, and that the two verti- 

 cal canals are at right angles to each other, strengthens this 

 belief. It is thought that each of these canals detects move- 

 ments in its own plane. The experiment has been made of 

 placing a man on a table that turned easily; with the eyes 

 shut the subject could usually detect fairly well the changes 

 of position from rotation of the table. What is known on the 

 subject comes partly from observation in cases where these 

 parts are diseased (which, in itself, does not cause loss of 

 hearing), and by operating on lower animals ; in both of these 

 lines of observation injury to these parts appears to be fol- 

 lowed by dizziness, loss of power to maintain equilibrium, etc. 



The Care of the Ear. In cleaning the ear no hard 

 substance should be used ; even the finger-nail is likely to 

 do harm. A moistened cloth should be used. If this is 

 not sufficient, a physician should be consulted. 



In washing the ear it should be thoroughly dried before 

 being exposed to a wind, especially a cold wind. The rapid 

 evaporation may cool the parts so rapidly as to cause trouble. 

 It is not well to stuff the ears with cotton. If there is any 

 trouble with the hearing, of course a physician should be con- 

 sulted without delay. 



The existence of an organ of hearing implies the existence 

 of what ? Why have we these organs of hearing ? Is it 

 merely a means of protection ? Is it that we may enjoy the 

 music of nature, such as the songs of birds ? Is there not 



