Report of the Edinburgh Ear Dispensary : with notes of one hundred cases of diseases of the ear treated in succession during the first months of 1861 / by Thomas Keith.

Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Edinburgh Ear Dispensary : with notes of one hundred cases of diseases of the ear treated in succession during the first months of 1861 / by Thomas Keith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    84. Chronic Inflammation of Membrana: Tyrnpani.—William MacDonald, set. 13.—Has been deaf for about four years. The deafness was preceded, and has frequently been followed, by attacks of pain in the ears. The hearing distance is contact on the left, and half an inch on the right side. The meatus is dry in both ears; the right membrana tyrnpani is thickened; the thickening is irregular, giving the membrane a mottled appearance. Many enlarged blood-vessels are seen ramifying on its surface, especially along the course of the malleus. The left has much the same appearance, if anything it is more dense and white than the other. By the beginning of October the hearing had improved so far that the watch was heard at the distance of eight inches from the left ear and sixteen from the right. In consequence, however, of having remained for upwards of an hour in the swimming-bath he got cold, and had another acute attack of pain in both ears; and at present his dulness of hearing is as great as when he first came under treatment. 85. Deafness following an Injury of the Head—Great Tinnitus and Opacity of the Membrana Tyrnpani.—Mrs Stark, set. 52.—Complains of deafness, with very distressing noises in the right ear; the hearing of which is gone. She states that last January she fell on the ice, and at the time there was great bleeding from the ear. She remained insensible for four hours, and for several weeks afterwards had great giddiness in the head. The membrana tyrnpani is uniformly white; but there is no appearance of any old cicatrix, or of the membrane having sustained any injury. On the floor of the meatus are numerous large superficial vessels, and there is still a small hard clot adhering to the dermis. The examination of this case was made rather hurriedly, and the patient was requested to return, hut she failed to do so. 86. Thiclcening of Tympanic Cavity and. Membrana Tyrnpani.—Richard Sleigh, set. 7.—Has been deaf for the last two years. The deafness was preceded by severe attacks of earache. He is a very delicate-looking, fair-haired, nervous hoy from the country. During damp weather, or on the least exposure to cold, he becomes so deaf that he requires to he spoken to quite close to the head. Both membranes are dull, of a dark red colour, and very concave. The Eustachian tubes are permeable; but there is great gurgling as the air enters the cavity of the tympanum. The tonsils are large, and the throat thick and swollen. This patient was not again seen, though his case was a very favour- able one for treatment. 87. Inflammation of Meatus and Membrana Tyrnpani caused by the introduc- tion of some irritating substance into the Ear.—Jane Anderson, set. 19.—A week ago when suffering from severe toothache, was recommended to put into the ear some drops of a so-called specific for toothache, manufactured by a druggist at Burntisland. This she accordingly did, and was almost immediately seized with intense pain in the left ear. This continued for three days, when the pain was relieved by a profuse discharge from the ear. The watch is only heard on placing it against the auricle. The meatus is swollen and tender, containing a thin discharge, with masses of thickened cuticle ; the external layer of the membrana tyrnpani is seen to be much thickened, with large patches of lymph effused on its surface. In the course of a fortnight the parts had resumed their natural appearance, and the hearing had returned. The substance dropped into the ear appears to have been a strong solution of camphor in alcohol. This is the third case in which I have seen acute inflammation of the ear set up by the same specific for toothache introduced into the car. 88. Great Opacity with Atheromatous Deposit in Membrana Tyrnpani.— Margaret Whitehead, set. 35.— Has been deaf for the last ten years. The watch is unheard unless when pressed upon the auricles. On examination the right membrana tyrnpani is seen to be very dense and white; and owing to the great thickening the handle of the malleus is scarcely distinguishable. In the