86 FISHES AND FISHING. 



brain, with a velocity that annihilates time. In man, 

 the soft portion of the auditory nerve floats, as I before 

 said, in a liquid, and its fibres are diffused in the seve- 

 ral parts of the labyrinth, consisting of the cochlea, 

 vestibule, and semi- circular canals. In mankind it 

 is necessary, nay, indispensable that the very nume- 

 rous small glands which line the auditory passage 

 half-way down, should exude the usual healthy ex- 

 cretions, the fluid portion of which vapourises, and 

 the heavy vapour or gas thus formed, descends down- 

 wards by its own gravity, lubricates the lower part of 

 the auditory passage, and the membrana tympani, 

 keeping them in a proper state of elasticity to receive, 

 and transmit the slightest vibration of air occasioned 

 even by the sound of the voice. "When the auditory 

 passage becomes dry, either from congestion of the 

 cerumenous glands, through exposure of the body, or 

 head, tosuddenchangesof temperature, improper modes 

 of living, or vicious habits, diminution of the sense of 

 hearing, in a greater or less degree, comes on, and too 

 many general practitioners of good ability in other 

 cases, as well as most of the regular professors of 

 aural surgery, have blundered on for ages, torturing 

 and ruining the health of the poor creatures who are 

 so unfortunate as to consult ^them, with blisters, 

 setons, issues, caustic, acoustic drops, mercurials in 

 ointments, or as internal medicine, and all sorts of 



