332
EAR.
There are many diseases to which the eye is liable, requiringthe best surgical treatment, which it would serve to little purposeto introduce into a work of family medicine, several of them de-manding different means of treatment, as the affection may be inthe acute or chronic stage. See Inflammation of the eyes.
The Ear.
The functions of the ear may be injured by wounds, ulcers, orany thing that hurts its fabric. The hearing may likewise be hurtby excessive noise ; violent colds in the head ; fevers ; hard wax,or other substances sticking in the cavity of the ear ; too great adegree of moisture or dryness in the ear. Deafness is very oftenthe effect of old age, and is incident to most people in the declineof life. Sometimes it is owing to an original fault in the structureor formation of the ear itself. When this is the case, it admits ofno cure ; and the unhappy person not only continues deaf, butgenerally Jikewise dumb for life.*
When deafness is the effect of wounds or ulcers of the ear, orof old age, it is not easily removed. When it proceeds from coldof the head, the patient must be careful to keep his head warm,especially in the night ; he should likewise take some gentle pur-ges, and keep his feet warm, and bathe them frequently in luke-warm water at bed-time. When deafness is the effect of a fever,it generally goes off after the patient recovers. If it proceedsfrom dry wax sticking in the ears, it may be softened by droppingoil into them ; afterwards they must be syringed with warm milkand water.
If deafness proceed from dryness of the ears, which may beknown by looking into them, half an ounce of the oil of sweet al-monds, and the same quantity of opodeldoc, or tincture of asafost-ida, may be mixed together, and a few drops of it put into the earevery night at bed-time, stopping them afterwards with a littlewool or cotton. Some, instead of oil, put a small slice of the fat ofbacoa into each ear, which is said to answer the purpose very well.When the ears abound with moisture, it may be drained off by anissue or seton, which should be made as near the affected parts aspossible.
* Though those who have the misfortune to be born deaf are generally sufferedto continue dumb, and consequently are in a great measure lost to society, yet nothingis more certain than that such persons may be taught not only to read and write, butalso to speak, and to understand what others say to them. Teaching the dumb tospeak, will appear paradoxical to those who do not consider that the formation ofsounds is merely mechanical, and may be taught without the assistance of the ear.This is not only capable of demonstration, but is actually reduced to practice by theingenious Mr. Thomas Braidwood of Edinburgh. This gentleman has, by the mereforce of genius and application, brought the teaching of dumb persons to such a degreeof perfection, that his scholars are generally more forward in their education, thanfhose of the same age who enjoy all their faculties. They not only read and writewith the utmost readiness, but likewise sveak, and are capable of holding conversationwith any person in the light. What a pity any of the human species should remain ina state of idiotiern, who are capable of being rendered as useful and intelligent as oth-ers ! We mention this not only from humanity to those who have the misfortune tobe born deaf, but also in justice to Mr. Braidwood, whose success has far exceeded allformer attempts this way; and indeed it exceeds imagination itself so far, that no per-son who has not seen and examined his pupils, can believe what they are capable of.As this gentleman, however willing, is only able to teach a few, and as the far greaterpart of those who are born deaf cannot afford to attend him, it would be an act of greathumanity, as well as public utility, to erect an academy for their benefit.