380 



DISEASES OF THE EAR. 



Fig. 85. 



Theeapeutio Treatment. The treatment which corre- 

 sponds with that of eczema is generally followed. Wc must 

 thoroughly clean the external ear. This is best performed by a 

 syringe fitted with an acorn-shaped point so as to prevent injuring 

 the ear (Fig. 85) the translator finds the best ear syringe is one 

 made entirely of soft rubber with a long flexible point that 

 can be pushed into the meatus without any great danger 

 of injuring the canal; the flexible point adapts itself to 

 the turns of the canal, and by using applications of 

 warm water injected into the meatus. The duct is 

 then dried with absorbent cotton introduced into the ear 

 on the end of a small pair of forceps. As the meatus 

 is elongated, narrow, and slightly curved, there is not 

 much danger of injuring the tympanic membrane. In 

 very slight afEections of this character, which may be 

 recognized by a slight redness of the membrane, itch- 

 ing, and the presence of a certain amount of fluid, it 

 is only necessary to clean the meatus several times, 

 using solutions of lead-water, phosphate of lime, acetate 

 of zinc, etc. The author has found that simply powder- 

 ing with lycopodium, amylum or talcum, filling up the 

 ear, is much preferable to any of the above-mentioned 

 liquids. 



The translator generally avoids syringing in mild 

 cases. It causes a great deal of irritation, exciting the animal un- 

 duly. He generally cleans 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. He then fills 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 once a week. With this 

 treatment he also prescribes a laxative, such as cascara sagrada. 

 If there is eczema present, he adds to the treatment two dro])s of 

 Donovan'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 astrin- 



Ear syringe. 



