434 KEPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



various methods hitherto adopted, and if our Committee is reappointed 

 we are pi-epared to undertake experiments with the view of arriving at 

 a suitable standard method. 



We have, however, satisfied ourselves of the fact that disease of the 

 ear is very prevalent among schoolchildren. The statistical returns 

 which have been compiled in this and other countries (notably in 

 Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and America) show that from 12 to 

 20 per cent, of schoolchildren may be defective in their hearing. 



Aural disease, even when slight, affects not only the child's health, 

 but its capacity for earning its living in the future. In this connection 

 the following rules may be laid down : — 



(a) That any child recently admitted to a school who breathes through 

 the mouth, or whose hearing is defective to the extent that he or she is 

 unable to hear without effort the words spoken by the teacher, should 

 be examined. It has been repeatedly observed that children whose 

 hearing is defective have been thought inattentive, careless, and lazy, 

 and blamed as such, before it was discovered that they experienced 

 difficulty in hearing. 



(5) After an attack from an infectious disease, even when there are 

 no apparent signs of the hearing having become impaired, a child's ears, 

 nose, and throat should be thoroughly examined. The reasons why the 

 above action is recommended are the following : — 



It is a well-known fact that a diseased condition of the nose or throat, 

 both of which are very prevalent, is one of the most frequent causes of 

 diseases of the middle ear, and it is, therefore, very desirable that the 

 diseased condition of the nose or throat be taken in hand in good time. 



It is another well-established fact that acute infectious diseases, such 

 as measles, scarlet-fever, diphtheria, influenza, pneumonia, and others, are 

 frequently followed by aural trouble, which, so long as it affects only one 

 ear, does not appear to be necessarily attended by any very marked 

 degree of deafness. Experience has likewise shown that acute infectious 

 illnesses not infrequently lead to catarrh of the nose and throat, and to 

 chronic swellings and growths of the adenoid tissues, whereby the hearing 

 is permanently impaired. 



The teacher should first write to or inter\aew the parents of any child 

 whose hearing is impaired, and insist upon serious endeavours being 

 made to have the trouble attended to forthwith. For aural mischief 

 of recent date can be cured much more easily, more rapidly, and more 

 completely and permanently than when it has become chronic. 



These suggestions as regards prophylactic treatment could be carried 

 out in a satisfactory manner only in the event of arrangements being 

 made whereby the poorer schoolchildren could be examined and treated ; 

 and the most satisfactory arrangement would be one by which the ears 

 of all scholars were examined twice yearly by ear specialists. 



Any child whose hearing has become incurably impaired should, if 

 possible, take part in the instruction given to children whose hearing is 

 normal, inasmuch as if a place be assigned to it as near as possible to 

 the teacher it is often capable of following the lessons in a satisfactory 

 manner. It must not be left out of account in this connection that 

 children with defective hearing are much more easily exhausted by their 

 lessons than children whose hearing is normal, Consequently, their 

 lessons should be limited to the most essential teaching. 



