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Snow…blindness occurs from prolonged exposure of the eyes to snow upon which the sun is shining。 Some years ago； some seventy laborers； who were clearing away snow…drifts in the Caucasus； were seized； and thirty of them could not find their way home； so great was the photophobia； conjunctivitis； and lacrimation。 Graddy reports six cases； and many others are constantly occurring。
Other forms of retinal injury from too great or too prolonged exposure to light are 〃moon…blindness；〃 due to sleeping with the eyes exposed to bright moonlight； and that due to lightninga case； e。g。； being reported by Knies。 Silex also reports such a case and reviews the reported cases； 25 in number； in ten of which cataract ensued。 In the Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences； 1888； there is a report of seven cases of retinal injury with central scotoma； amblyopia； etc。； in Japanese medical students； caused by observation of the sun in eclipse。
In discussing the question of electric…light injuries of the eyes Gould reviews the literature of the subject and epitomizes the cases reported up to that time。 They numbered 23。 No patient was seriously or permanently injured； and none was in a person who used the electric light in a proper manner as an illuminant。 All were in scientific investigators or workmen about the light； who approached it too closely or gazed at it too long and without the colored protecting spectacles now found necessary by such workers。
Injuries to the Ear。The folly of the practice of boxing children's ears； and the possible disastrous results subsequent to this punishment； are well exemplified throughout medical literature。 Stewart quotes four cases of rupture of the tympanum from boxing the ears； and there is an instance of a boy of eight； who was boxed on the ear at school； in whom subsequent brain…disease developed early； and death followed。 Roosa of New York mentions the loss of hearing following a kiss on the ear。
Dalby； in a paper citing many different causes of rupture of the tympanic membrane； mentions the following： A blow in sparring； violent sneezing； blowing the nose； forcible dilatation of the Eustachian canal； a thorn or twig of a tree accidentally thrust into the head； picking the ear with a toothpick。 In time of battle soldiers sometimes have their tympanums ruptured by the concussion caused by the firing of cannon。 Dalby mentions an instance of an officer who was discharged for deafness acquired in this manner during the Crimean War。 He was standing beside a mortar which； unexpectedly to him； was fired； causing rupture of the tympanic membrane； followed by hemorrhage from the ear。 Similar cases were reported in the recent naval engagements between the Chinese and Japanese。 Wilson reports two cases of rupture of the membrane tympani caused by diving。 Roosa divides the causes into traumatic； hemorrhagic； and inflammatory； and primary lesions of the labyrinth； exemplifying each by numerous instances。 Under traumatic causes he mentions severe falls； blows about the head or face； constant listening to a telegraphic instrument； cannonading； and finally eight cases of boiler…makers' deafness。 Roosa cites a curious case of sudden and profound deafness in a young man in perfect health； while calling upon the parents of his lady…love to ask her hand in marriage。 Strange to say that after he had had a favorable reply he gradually recovered his hearing！ In the same paper there is an instance of a case of deafness due to the sudden cessation of perspiration； and an instance of tinnitus due to the excessive use of tobacco； Roosa also mentions a case of deafness due to excessive mental employment。
Perforation of the Tympanum。Kealy relates an instance in which a pin was introduced into the left ear to relieve an intolerable itching。 It perforated the tympanum； and before the expiration of twenty…four hours was coughed up from the throat with a small quantity of blood。 The pin was bent at an angle of about 120 degrees。 Another similar case was that of a girl of twenty…two who； while pricking her ear with a hair…pin； was jerked or struck on the arm by a child； and the pin forced into the ear； great pain and deafness followed； together with the loss of taste on the same side of the tongue； after treatment both of the disturbed senses were restored。 A man of twenty was pricked in the ear by a needle entering the meatus。 He uttered a cry； fell senseless； and so continued until the fourth day when he died。 The whole auditory meatus was destroyed by suppuration。 Gamgee tells of a constable who was stabbed in the left ear； severing the middle meningeal artery； death ensuing。 In this instance； after digital compression； ligature of the common carotid was practiced as a last resort。 There is an account of a provision…dealer's agent who fell asleep at a public house at Tottenham。 In sport an attendant tickled his ear with a wooden article used as a pipe light。 A quick； unconscious movement forced the wooden point through the tympanum； causing cerebral inflammation and subsequent death。 There is a record of death； in a child of nine； caused by the passage of a knitting…needle into the auditory meatus。
Kauffmann reports a case of what he calls objective tinnitus aurium； in which the noise originating in the patient's ears was distinctly audible by others。 The patient was a boy of fourteen； who had fallen on the back of his head and had remained unconscious for nearly two weeks。 The noises were bilateral； but more distinct on the left than on the right side。 The sounds were described as crackling； and seemed to depend on movements of the arch of the palate。 Kauffmann expresses the opinion that the noises were due to clonic spasm of the tensor velum palati； and states that under appropriate treatment the tinnitus gradually subsided。
The introduction of foreign bodies in the ear is usually accidental； although in children we often find it as a result of sport or curiosity。 There is an instance on record of a man who was accustomed to catch flies and put them in his ear； deriving from them a pleasurable sensation from the tickling which ensued。 There have been cases in which children； and even adults； have held grasshoppers； crickets； or lady…birds to their ears in order to more attentively listen to the noise； and while in this position the insects have escaped and penetrated the auditory canal。 Insects often enter the ears of persons reposing in the fields with the ear to the ground。 Fabricius Hildanus speaks of a cricket penetrating the ear during sleep。 Calhoun mentions an instance of disease of the ear which he found was due to the presence of several living maggots in the interior of the ear。 The patient had been sleeping in a horse stall in which were found maggots similar to those extracted from his ear。 An analogous instance was seen in a negro in the Emergency Hospital； Washington； D。C。； in the summer of 1894； and many others are recorded。 The insects are frequently removed only after a prolonged lodgment。
D'Aguanno gives an account of two instances of living larvae of the musca sarcophaga in the ears of children。 In one of the cases the larvae entered the drum…cavity through a rupture in the tympanic membrane。 I