94 GOOD HEALTH 



with a bang. Quite in that way it happens sometimes 

 with an eardrum. An angry man brings his hand down 

 hard on a boy's ear; more air crowds in than the ear 

 can hold, and the drum splits like a paper bag. Shout- 

 ing in the ear may do it, too ; even a kiss on the hole of 

 the ear may break the drum. 



Avoid all these things. Think how careful men are 

 to keep dust out of their watches. Remember that ear 

 machinery is more precious than any watch machinery 

 that was ever made, and that dust may damage it through 

 a hole in the eardrum. 



QUESTIONS 



1. How do some people treat the fleshy part of the ear? 



2. What is the outside ear for? 



3. Why is the hole important? 



4. How long is it? 



5. What is the wax for? 



6. How should we remove it? 



7 Why should we never put anything hard or sharp in the ear? 



8. Why is it dangerous to box a boy's ear? 



9. What other things should be avoided ? 



IO. If the drum is broken, what happens to the ear machinery? 



