Treatise on the ear : including its anatomy, physiology and pathology : for which the author obtained a gold medal in the University of Edinburgh / by Joseph Williams.

Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Treatise on the ear : including its anatomy, physiology and pathology : for which the author obtained a gold medal in the University of Edinburgh / by Joseph Williams. 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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    28 years of age, had perfectly gained his hearing, and spoke well, although no remedies had been adopted.^ I believe the following case of Itard's to have been deafness arising from an obstructed Eustachian tube, somewhat similar to the case mentioned by Sir Astley Cooper, [see p. 204,] and I think that the perforation of the memhrana tympani, and not the in- jection, was the cause of cure. Case.—A young person deaf and dumb from birth, about 15 years of age, was cured of his deafness by Doctor Itard, by means of injections thrown into the tympanum through an opening made in the memhrana tympani. The young man heard first the sound of the neighbouring bells; at that instant he felt a very lively emotion ; he had even headache, vertigo, and dizziness. The next day he heard the sound of the small bell in the room ; twenty days afterwards he could hear the voice of persons speaking. He was then extremely delighted, nor could he be satisfied with hearing people speak. His eyes, says Professor Percy, seemed to search for the words, even on our lijas. His voice was soon developed; he formed only vague sounds at first: sometime afterwards he could stutter some words, but he pronounced them imperfectly, in the manner of children. It was some time before he could pronounce compound words, and those containing a number of consonants. They caused him to hear a hurdy-gurdy (vieille organisee) without preparing him for it; he was then observed to tremble, turn pale, and seemed on the point of falling into a syncope; he next showed all the transports occasioned by a lively and unknown pleasure, &c. This young man was unfortunately soon cut off by disease.^ 6 Considerations sur les Sourds Muets de Naissance, par M. Le Bouvyer Desniortiers. For the account of a cognenitally deaf and dumb person, who unxpectedly obtained his hearing and speech when 17 years of age, after a violent fever, see Phil. Trans, vol. xxv. p. 1469. (No. 312.) 7 See Magendie's Physiolog. [Tr. Milligan.] p. 153. 1831.
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