A treatise on the structure, economy, and diseases of the ear : being the essay for which the Fothergillian gold medal was awarded by the Medical society of London / By George Pilcher.
- George Pilcher
- Date:
- 1838
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A treatise on the structure, economy, and diseases of the ear : being the essay for which the Fothergillian gold medal was awarded by the Medical society of London / By George Pilcher. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.
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![This disease proceeds to such an extent as to inca- pacitate the sufferer from attending to his avocations, and it may exist for many years, or even during Hfe. In severe, and long continued cases, otalgia is some- times excited, which extends to the surrounding muscles and skin. A cm'ious circumstance is connected with this af- fection : the patient can sometimes hear the human voice and hold a conversation, when the surrounding noise is very great, as in a carriage, or walking along a noisy street, whereas without this loud accompany- ing noise he would be deaf to the slighter sound. Various reasons have been assigned to account for this phenonemon, such as the relaxation of the mem- brane, or the tensor tympani; it most probably, how- ever, is owing to the nerve roused into action by the loud sounds, being then enabled to appreciate those more minute; if, indeed, as appears probable, it is not altogether ideal and depending upon the circum- stance of the healthy individual raising his voice to overcome the noise which confuses his audition, and which only being partially heard by the deaf person, he distinctly recognises the elevated and clear speech. The different shades of hearing, are only symptoms of this affection, as the Hypercusis, Paracusis, &c.; thus again it bears among many other particulars a resemblance to amaurosis. The disorder frequently terminates in incurable torpor; and therefore re- quires a guarded prognosis. The Treatment consists in removing if possible any genera] or local disease which may cause or keep up the affection. When attended with general excite- ment that must be combatted; but if, as the Author's](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21446477_0369.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
