O T A 



enlargement of the neighbouring glands is conjoined with 

 the catarrhal fwelling of the fauces. 



The inflammatory otalgia fometimes terminates in the 

 formation of an abfcefs, which may be fiiperficial, being 

 then fufficiently manifefl. from the prefence of the ordinary 

 fymptoms of a cutaneous colleAion of matter. In this 

 cafe, the fever and pain abate as foou as the abfcefs is 

 opened, or has fpontaneoufly burll, and the pus has 

 been difcharged. In other examples, the matter forms 

 more deeply in the cavity of the tympanum, and it either 

 makes its way outward by ulceration of the mcmbrana 

 tympani, or, in a more favourable way, through tlie 

 Euftachian tube. When the abfcefs occupies a ilill 

 deeper situation, that is to fay, when the matter collects in 

 the labyrinth, a necrofis of the bones often follows, the 

 abfcefs either difcharging itfelf into the cavity of the tym- 

 panum, or becoming diffufed under the pericranium. 



The otalgia car'wja may originate from a caries, or rather 

 a necrofis of the temporal bone, or, fympathetically, from 

 a caries of one of the teeth. As the communicating 

 branches of the facial nerve are affefted, we fee why para- 

 lyfis of the mufcles of the face is a frequent concomitant of 

 this fpecies of otalgia. 



The otalgia from extraneous fubjlances in the ear, as maflTes 

 of hardened cerumen, infefls, the lodgment of any fmall 

 body, like a pea, &c. may be fufpected from the account 

 which the patient will give of his cafe ; but it may be 

 clearly afcertained by examining the flate of the meatus 

 auditorius in a ftrong light, and by the ufe of a probe. An 

 obftruftion or compreffion of the Eullachian tube may 

 alfo become a caufe of otalgia, as Callifen aflerts, by con- 

 fining fluids in the tympanum. 



From what has been ftated, it is obvious that although 

 otalgia may indeed fometimes be an idiopathic diforder, it is 

 moft commonly only fymptomailc, in which laft circumftance 

 it neceffarily requires for its relief the fame means which 

 are proper for the cure of the primary difeafe, of wliich it 

 is merely the effeft. 



In otalgia, the prognofis generally differs according to 

 the feat of the difeafe, its nature and violence, and the eafe 

 or difficulty of removing the caufe. The following circum- 

 ftances relative to the prognofis feem to deferve remark. 



Young perfons ufually fuff^er much more feverely from 

 ear-ache than older fubjefts, and experience more ferious 

 deo-rees of indifpoiition from the complaint. The internal 

 inflammatory otalgia which produces fuppuration affeifts 

 the trunk of the auditory nerve itfelf, and difcharges its 

 matter within the cranium, may deftroy the patient in a 

 few days, if we are to credit the obfervations of Callifen. 

 A fubfidence of the inflammation, as indicated by a remif- 

 fion of the fever and pain, and a fpeedy evacuation of the 

 matter by the rupture of the abfcefs, are events wliich augur 

 a favourable termination of tlie diforder. When fuppura- 

 tion has occurred in the cavity of the ear, and the abfcefs un- 

 comphcated with any carious aff^eftion has burft and dif- 

 charged itfelf through the meatus auditorius externus, the 

 diforder may prove no more dangerous than any other 

 fimple abfcefs. For the moft part, after every fevere 

 attack of otalgia a degree of dv'afnefs remains, and this 

 happens with ftill greater certainty when the cafe has been 

 attended with fuppuration. 



The treatment of the various forms of ear-ache muft of 

 courfe depend upon the nature of the caufes of the diforder. 

 In general, however, if inflammation exill in the organ, it 

 is to be oppofed by the aftive employment of antiphlogitlic 

 remedies, efpecially topical bleeding with leeches, vene- 

 feftion, gentle purgatives, and .inodyne fomentations. When 

 Vol. XXXIX. 



O X Y 



matter is collected, the burfting of the abfcefs fhould h^ 

 T uT^ with emollient applications, or an op nin' 

 (hould be made with a lancet. In fuch circumftances hf 

 ear ihould be frequently cleanfed by means of injea ons 

 which, generally fpeaking, ought to be of a Ample un 



morbid lenfib.hty in the nerves of the ear muft be lefl-ened 

 t>y luitable internal and external remedies, the ufe of 

 opium, anodyne fomentations, the exhibition of conium or 

 tramonium, the introduftion of a doffil of foft cotton into 

 he meatus auditorius, dipt in a mixture of ohve-oil and 

 audanum, or the tmftura camphors, a perpetual blifter in 

 the vicinity of the ear, &c. 



vr^'^[''';- '" '^'"S'-^'Phy a town of Berklhire county, in 

 Mallachuietts, containing mi inhabitants. 



OTSEGO, 1.6, r. 38,802 inhabitants, of whom 74 are 

 Haves. /'t "' = 



OUACHITTA, a county and parifh of the territory 

 of Orleans, vvhich, m 1810, contained 1077 inhabitants. 

 Iheftaples of this territory are, cotton, tobacco, lumber, 

 and peltries. Ouachitta river is not navigable in autumn 

 when the waters are low, for any vefl-els above the fize of 

 canoes. 



OVERTON. Add-Alfo, a county of Weft Tenneffee 

 containmg 5643 inhabitants, of whom 355 are flaves. 



UUGEIN, col. 6, 1. 39, for here r. yet. 



OUNDLE. In 181 1, the parifli of Oundle contained 

 362 houfes, and 1833 perfons; 821 males, and 1012 

 temales : 62 families being employed in agriculture, and 

 302 in trade, manufaftures, and handicraft. 



OWHYHEE, col. 2, 1. 18. Its height is eftimated at 

 no lels than 18,400 feet. 



^^^.^H^^^""'?' ■" C/.««//?ry. The laft analyfis of 

 this acid IS by Berzehus. According to him, it is compofed of 



Hydrogen 

 Carbon 

 Oxygen - 



.244 

 33.222 

 ''6.534 



100 



which nearly correfpond with ^Vth atom hjdrogen + 2 

 atoms carbon -i- 3 atoms oxygen. But there are fome 

 doubts if even this determination be corredf . 



OXFORD, in America, 1. 3, r. 1277; 1. 5, r. 1453. 

 Col. 2, 1. 5, r. 1810, 2470 inhabitants, including 36 flaves ; 

 1. 6, r. 973 ; 1. 15, r. 700 inhabitants ; and another, called 

 Lower Oxford, with 769 inhabitants. — Alfo, a townftiip 



of Ohio, in Guernfey county, having 440 perfons Alfo 



a townfiiip of Ohio, in Tufcarawa county, having 271 

 inhabitants. 



OXYGEN Gas, in Chemljlry. According to the moft 

 recent determinations, the fpecitic gravity of this gas is 

 I.I 1 1 ; and 100 cubic inches of it, at a mean temperature 

 and prefl'ure, will weigh 33. 888 grains. See Atomic Theory. 



OXYGENIZED Acids. M. Thenard has recently- 

 been enabled to combine oxygen with .acids almoft to a.n 

 unhmited extent, chiefly by means of the peroxyd of ba- 

 rium. His general method was, to diflblve the peroxyd in 

 the .acid intended to be oxygenized, and aftenvarJs to 

 feparate tlie barytes by means of fulphuric acid. ; the 

 oxygen was thus transferred from the peroxyd Oi barium 

 to the acid, and by repeating the operation lie fou jid that ad- 

 ditional dofes could be added. In this way, he oy.ygenized the 

 nitric, muriatic, phofphoric, and other acids, and by taking 

 advantage of its other properties, the muriatic acid in par- 

 ticular was oxygenized, even fo far aa to contain 64 atoms 

 4 F of 



