On a new mode of treating deafness when attended by partial or entire loss of the membrana tympani, associated or not with discharge from the ear / by James Yearsley.

  • Yearsley, James, 1805-1869.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On a new mode of treating deafness when attended by partial or entire loss of the membrana tympani, associated or not with discharge from the ear / by James Yearsley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/44 (page 9)
    hearing. Is it possible that moist wool placed at the extremity of the passage can transmit the vibrations of sound in the same manner as the natural membrane, or must we look for some other explanation? How¬ ever, of its relieving this kind of deafness there can be no doubt. Some may feel incredulous at such simple means producing such brilliant results; but in order to substantiate that which I have now written, I pro¬ pose, in a future paper, to quote the statements of my patients, appended to histories of their cases. The question, as to how far this new mode of treat¬ ment can be made available in cases in which the mem- brana tympani remains intact, is now occupying my anxious consideration, and forms the basis of a series of experiments, the result of which at a future time will be made known to the profession. It has been intimated to me, that although the new mode of treatment has been explained in my last com¬ munication, and the cases to which it is at present applicable clearly indicated, yet I have not so fully described the modus operandi as to enable others to adopt it with more than a mere chance of success. In answer, 1 have only to say, that the experience of several years has taught me that it is impossible to con¬ vey to others, in words, such explicit directions as shall enable them to manipulate with any degree of certainty. In faot, it was on this account that I have so long held back from publishing any account of the remarkable fact I had observed in my practice. Apart from other considerations, I felt that publicly to ascribe such ex- b 3