Health Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 159, 26 September 1927, Page 12

Health Notes

THE EAR

PREVENTION OF DEAFNESS (Contributed by the Department of Health.} The ear consists essentially of a pair ►f special nerves (auditory nerves} ; •onnected with the brain and an ac- j eessory apparatus serving the double purpose of protecting the delicate I nerve endings and of conveying to them 1 tne waves of sound in such a way that \ they are converted into special nerve | impulses. The ear is, in fact, a trans- | former of the mechanical stimuli supplied by sound into nerve impulses which can be conveyed to ami interpreted by the brain. In other words, it may be likened to a wireless aerial receiving oscillations or ether waves, to be finally interpreted by special mechanism. The apparatus is divided by anatomists into three parts: the external ear, consisting of the shell-like auricle attached to the side of the head, and a passage (external auditory canal) leading therefrom to the middle ear, and, astly, the internal ear, containing the nerve endings. DISEASES OF THE EAR There are five chief symptoms to which ear disease may give rise to, namely, deafness, noises in the ear or head, pain, discharge, giddiness or vertigo. Deafness may be divided roughly into two kinds: obstructive deafness (external and middle-ear deafness), due to disorders of those portions of the ea.r which conduct the sound to the auditory nerve endings; and nerve deafness (inner-ear deafness), duo to disease of these nerve endings themselves, or of the nerve trunk ox of that part of the brain concerned with sound perception, and interpretation. These two forms of deafness are characterised: the one—obstructive deafness — vita loss of hearing for low tones; the other —nerve deafness —with loss of hearing for high tones. Noises :.n the head or ear (tinnitus) are due to irritation of the auditory nerve. Disease of the car irritating the auditory nerve endings causes noises in the ears ox* head which may vary from slight buzzing to loud, continuous. complicated noises, or even to words and sentences. These may be of no consequence, as, in the slight transitory ringing (popularly termed “news bells”) or may be a continual source of acute distress. Pain as an indication of ear disease may be manifested as “earache,** pain round the ear, and headache. Discharge from the ear is always a symptom of serious import. With the exception of a few cases of discharge arising in the outer passage,, it indicates inflammation of the cavity behind the- tympanum or ear-drum. When composed of matter (pus) it means an abscess of that part, and is a real danger signal. TREATMENT AND PREVENTION The most common troubles of the outer e?i.r are due to inflammation, accumulations of ear-wax, and foreign bodies in the outer ear passage, and should receive prompt medical attention. Attacks of inflammation are predisposed to by picking or scratching the passage with pins or other instruments Boils occur in persons run down In health. Accumulations of dead skin or wax form an excellent breed-ing-ground for the special microbes which cause boils. Wax, a common cause of deafness, easily removed by syringing the ear with a solution of baking-soda (one level teaspoonful to a cup of warm water), and continuing until the ear is free from wax. The syringing of the ears should be carried out under expert supervision, as the plug of wax may be driven further into the passage laid the trouble accentuated. DISCHARGING EARS Discharge from the cars nearly always indicates a serious condition. If the discharge is allowed to continue untreated chronic disease of the bones i»f the cur arid deafness will result. In neglected eases infection may spread to the brain and cause death. Hence prompt medical advice must be secured and scrupulous care is necesj«xry. The ear may be syringed with n warm boracic lotion or other, lotion ordered by the doctor. A discharging car should never be plugged. OTHER CAUSES OF DEAFNESS An infinite variety' of foreign bodies Have been found in the ear—peas, needs, pins fragments of cotton-wool, etc. Plugs of cotton-wool are very common, having been put in for protection. These result in deafness and inflommatory condition of the ears, anti medical aitl should bo invoked. There is a close relationship between the throat, nose and ear infections. A healthy nose and throat safeguards the car. Diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, mumps, smallpox, whooping • ough, tuberculosis, and syphilis may . ften result in deafness, and their prevention for this reason alone is of outstanding importance. EDUCATION OF DEAF CHILDREN For children who are born deaf, and therefore have not acquired the power if speech, the Education Department has an excellent institution at Sumner, Canterbury. There are also special classes held by this department in the main centres for the education of

children suffering from such serious deafness. School ✓medical officers or teachers of special classes would be able to give mothers valuable advice as to the training of such children.