BOXES ON THE EAR.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 7, 5 October 1878, Page 3

BOXES ON THE EAR.

(fhom the lancet of july 6.) The blindness of the late King of Hanover was occasioned, it is understood, by an accidental, but by no means violent, blow upon the eye. Scarcely a day passes, we believe, without some schoolmaster (or . >< ll'cllow in nat u ra I imitation of his master) giving a lad a smart ‘"box” upon the ear. Few persons would be bold enough to choose the eye as a part upon which it was expedient to inflict a violent blow by way of moral education, but there is apparently no end to the numbers who sell >ct an organ upon which violence is liable to be attended with much more dangerous results. For 1 ot only is deafness caused by “ boxes" which rupture (as they commonly do) the drum of the ear, but the inflammation of the internal cavity which is so frequent a a result, may be followed, years after-

wards, perhaps, by disease of the bone, giving rise to abcess of the brain, and having a fatal termimation. Medical men alone can be fully aware how fr uitful a source of suffering arid danger is represented by the box upon the ear. AYe are informed, for example, of two cases under observation at the present moment, in which schoolboys have been the victims of such I'uassault. Surely schoolmasters ought to have learned, long ere this, the danger of a mode of personal chastisement that has apparen usurped toe place of others, which, if more disgusting, were not attended with an equal amount of peril.