Apbil 8, 1887.J 



8CIE]SrGU. 



345 



such force as to cause their complete destruction 

 by death of the tissues. In some of the cases it 

 will be observed that partial or entire reproduc- 

 tion of the drum-head took place. The spontane- 

 ous cure, in most of these cases, without leaving 

 any discharge, affords a valuable suggestion in 

 the treatment of inflammation of the ear, as well 

 as in ope rations 'on the organ, in healthy persons. 

 It is believed, notwithstanding the great destruc- 

 tion of the membrana tympani, that the chain of 

 ossicles has been left in every case. It is fortu- 

 nate for man that great augmentation of tension, 

 exerted either from without or from within, 



Connecticut, ' discharge of cannon ' 1 



Georgia, ' firing cannon in war ' 1 



Indiana, ' cannon fired ' 1 



Illinois, ' gunshot wound ' 1 



Massachusetts, ' discharge of cannon ' 1 



Minnesota, ' from a shot ' 1 



Missouri, ' jar from cannon ' 1 



Nebraska, ' heavy cannonade in France ' 1 



New York, ' report of gun ' 1 



Ohio, ' discharge of cannon ' 1 



" ' severing of tongue cords hy shot ' 1 



Pennsylvania, ' shot of gun ' 1 



Texas, ' gunshot wound ' 1 



" ' gun fired close to ear ' 1 



Wisconsin, ' firing cannon ' 1 



Total 15 



Fig. 3. 



upon the transmitting mechanism of the ear, may 

 be experienced without serious injury to the 

 stapes or labyrinth. 



I have endeavored to obtain some reliable sta- 

 tistics in regard to the frequency of injuries to 

 the organ of hearing during the late war of the 

 rebellion, but without satisfactory results : thus, 

 the number reported by the census-takers in 1880, 

 as furnished me by Mr. Fred. A. Wines of the 

 census bureau, was only fifteen from all causes. 

 These are given below. The meagreness of facts 

 obtained in this manner illustrates the inefficiency 

 of such a method for collecting valuable infor- 

 mation. A single shell-explosion has, in many 

 instances, doubtlessly injured as great a number. 



The pension-office, doubtless, might furnish 

 more reliable statistics were the disabilities for 

 which pensions were granted tabulated ; but con- 

 gress has, as I am informed by Medical Examiner 

 "Wood, omitted to make any appropriation for such 

 work. It is to be regretted that more attention 

 has not been given to this matter, since there 

 must be a large number of persons who have suf- 

 fered injury to the ears from the concussion of 

 explosives, who are as much entitled to be pen- 

 sioned by the government from this cause as from 

 others which happen to be more easily diagnosed. 



I have obtained some facts, in conversing with 

 officers who served during the war of the rebel- 

 lion, which may be of interest. Commander 



