INFLAMMATION OF THE EXTERNAL EAR 437 



of a certain amount of fluid, it is only necessary to clean the meatus 

 once or twice, using solutions of lead-water. The writer has found that 

 simply powdering with lycopodium, amylum, talcum, or boracic acid 

 and filling up the ear, and then massaging the base of the concha to work 

 the powder well down into the ear, is much preferable to any of the 

 above-mentioned liquids. 



A mode of procedure suitable to most cases is to clean the ear with 

 wood alcohol, filling in the cavity and working the alcohol into the canal 

 by manipulation of the base of the ear. It is then to be dried thoroughly 

 with absorbent cotton until all trace of brown coloration, characteristic 

 of this condition, is removed. Then fill up the ear with powdered boric 

 acid, working it thoroughly into the canal, and covering all the inflamed 

 portions. This should be repeated every third day until the irritation is 

 lessened, and then after that, once a week. With this treatment also 

 prescribe a laxative, such as a tablespoonful of saturated solution of 

 sulphate of soda (glauber salts) or some of the saline laxative waters. 

 If there is eczema present, add to the treatment two drops of Fowler's 

 solution, morning and evening. 



In serious diseased conditions where there is much ulceration, we 

 may treat them in two different ways: 



By syringing the ear with solutions of disinfecting and astringent 

 agents, such as salol in alcohol (1 to 10), tannin in glycerin (1 to 10), 

 This must be repeated several times, and we may also dry up the secre- 

 tion by means of oxide of zinc or boric acid; the latter is to be preferred. 

 Hoffmann advises us to use subnitrate of bismuth or sulphate of copper 

 in starch. As a rule, the general treatment with powders is preferable 

 to that with liquids, but the latter must be used when the meatus is 

 much contracted and the ulcers located deeply — dermatol in starch 

 powder, 1 to 10; salicylic acid and talcum powder, 1 to 15; tannoform, 

 thioform, dymal, itrol, etc. An ear-cap is only necessary when the 

 animal is constantly shaking its head and the organ is very sensitive. 

 Where there is great pain a few drops of 4 per cent, solution of 

 cocaine is useful. We remove the numerous granular accumulations 

 by means of nitrate of silver. If there are polypus enlargements they 

 may be touched with a thermocautery or cut off with a wire ecraseur. 

 When the auditory canal is narrowed by extreme tumefaction of the 

 tissues, frequent syringing with warm salicylic acid solution, 1 to 35, 

 is very useful. 



T$. Zinc oxide, 3.0 



Talc, 12.0 



M. F. Pulv. No. I. 



Sig. — Ear powder twice daily. 



