L 215 J 
a patient is fomewhat deaf from cold, and the outer 
ear has been examined, and found clear of harden’d 
wax, &c. it is neverthelefs not uncommon to find 
himfelf fuddenly relieved by a great noife in his 
ear [d). This is probably owing to the breaking 
away of the congealed mucus, and the inftantaneous 
rufhing of the air into the tympanum j fo that when 
this diforder is but flight and recent, nature feems 
frequently to relieve herfelf ; but when more con- 
firmed, her efforts are ineffedual for its removal. 
Thefe conflderations inclined me flrongly to think, 
the hearing might fuffer from that caufe, and I was 
much confirmed herein by the following very re- 
markable cafe. 
Richard Evans, aged thirty- five, was exceeding 
deaf in both his ears, and no vifible diforder in the 
external meatus. It arofe from cold, and had fub- 
fifled feveral years, during which time no art or 
means whatfoever, could procure him the leaft relief. 
In Augufl lafl: he died of the fmall-pox, at the hof- 
pital in Cold-bath fields. I took that opportunity to 
examine the euftachian tube of each ear, and found 
them both fluffed quite full of congealed mucus, 
which was obferved by two gentlemen of the pro- 
fefhon prefent. This was the only vifible caufe of 
his deafnefs, the other parts appearing in their natu- 
ral flate. 
As all thefe concurring circumftances flrengthened 
me in my opinion, they likewife incited me to make 
trial of an operation that was fome time ago propofed 
(ti) Haller in Boerhaav, de Audita, pag. 381. not g. 
to 
