按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
one of the cases the larvae entered the drum…cavity through a rupture in the tympanic membrane。 In both cases the maggots were removed by forceps。 Haug has observed a tic （ixodes ricinus） in the ear of a lad of seventeen。 The creature was killed by a mercuric…chlorid solution； and removed with a probe。
There is a common superstition that centipedes have the faculty of entering the ear and penetrating the brain； causing death。 The authors have knowledge of an instance in which three small centipedes were taken from the ear of a policeman after remaining there three days； during this time they caused excruciating pain； but there was no permanent injury。 The Ephemerides contains instances in which； while yet living； worms； crickets； ants； and beetles have all been taken from the ear。 In one case the entrance of a cricket in the auditory canal was the cause of death。 Martin gives an instance in which larvae were deposited in the ear。 Stalpart van der Wiel relates an instance of the lodgment of a living spider in the ear。
Far more common than insects are inanimate objects as foreign bodies in the ear； and numerous examples are to be found in literature。 Fabricius Hildanus tells of a glass ball introduced into the auditory canal of a girl of ten； followed by headache； numbness on the left side； and after four or five years epileptic seizures； and atrophy of the arm。 He extracted it and the symptoms immediately ceased。 Sabatier speaks of an abscess of the brain caused by a ball of paper in the ear； and it is quite common for persons in the habit of using a tampon of cotton in the meatus to mistake the deep entrance of this substance for functional derangement； and many cases of temporary deafness are simply due to forgetfulness of the cause。 A strange case is reported in a girl of fourteen； who lost her tympanum from a profuse otorrhea； and who substituted an artificial tympanum which was； in its turn； lost by deep penetration； causing augmentation of the symptoms； of the cause of which the patient herself seemed unaware。 Sometimes artificial otoliths are produced by the insufflation of various powders which become agglutinated； and are veritable foreign bodies。 Holman tells of a negro； aged thirty…five。 whose wife poured molten pewter in his ear while asleep。 It was removed； but total deafness was the result。
Alley mentions a New Orleans wharf laborer； in whose ear was poured some molten lead； seventeen months afterward the lead was still occupying the external auditory meatus。 It is quite remarkable that the lead should have remained such a length of time without causing meningeal inflammation。 There was deafness and palsy of that side of the face。 A fungous growth occupied the external portion of the ear； the man suffered pain and discharge from the ear； and had also great difficulty in closing his right eyelid。 Morrison mentions an alcoholic patient of forty who； on June 6； 1833； had nitric acid poured in her right ear。 There were no headache； febrile symptoms； stupor； or vertigo。 Debility alone was present。 Two weeks after the injury paralysis began on the right side； and six weeks from the injury the patient died。 This case is interesting from the novel mode of death； the perfect paralysis of the arm； paralysis agitans of the body （occurring as hemorrhage from the ear came on； and subsiding with it）； and extensive caries of the petrous bone； without sensation of pain or any indicative symptoms。
There is an instance in a young girl in which a piece of pencil remained in the right ear for seven years。 Haug speaks of two beads lying in the auditory canal for twenty…eight years without causing any harm。
A boy of six introduced a carob…nut kernel into each ear。 On the next day incompetent persons attempted to extract the kernel from the left side； but only caused pain and hemorrhage。 The nut issued spontaneously from the right side。 In the afternoon the auditory canal was found excoriated and red； and deep in the meatus the kernel was found； covered with blood。 The patient had been so excited and pained by the bungling attempts at extraction that the employment of instruments was impossible； prolonged employment of injections was substituted。 Discharge from the ear commenced； intense fever and delirium ensued； and the patient had to be chloroformed to facilitate the operation of extraction。 The nut； when taken out； was found to have a consistency much larger than originally； caused by the agglutination of wax and blood。 Unfortunately the symptoms of meningitis increased； three days after the operation coma followed； and on the next day death ensued。 In 75 cases collected by Mayer； and cited by Poulet （whose work on 〃Foreign Bodies〃 is the most extensive in existence）； death as a consequence of meningitis was found in three。
Fleury de Clermont mentions a woman of twenty…five who consulted him for removal of a pin which was in her right ear。 Vain attempts by some of her lay…friends to extract the pin had only made matters worse。 The pin was directed transversely； and its middle part touched the membrane tympanum。 The mere touching of the pin caused the woman intense pain； even after etherization it was necessary to construct a special instrument to extract it。 She suffered intense cephalalgia and other signs of meningitis； despite vigorous treatment she lost consciousness and died shortly after the operation。
Winterbotham reports an instance in which a cherry…stone was removed from the meatus auditorius after lodgment of upward of sixty years。 Marchal de Calvi mentions intermittent deafness for forty years； caused by the lodgment of a small foreign body in the auditory canal。 There is an instance in which a carious molar tooth has been tolerated in the same location for forty years。
Albucasius； Fabricius Hildanus； Pare； and others； have mentioned the fact that seeds and beans have been frequently seen to increase in volume while lodged in the auditory canal。 Tulpius speaks of an infant； playing with his comrades； who put a cherry…seed in his ear which he was not able to extract。 The seed increased in volume to such an extent that it was only by surgical interference that it could be extracted； and then such serious consequences followed that death resulted。 Albers reports an instance in which a pin introduced into the ear issued from the pharynx。
Confusion of diagnosis is occasionally noticed in terrified or hysteric persons。 Lowenberg was called to see a child of five who had introduced a button into his left ear。 When he saw the child it complained of all the pain in the right ear； and he naturally examined this ear first but found nothing to indicate the presence of a foreign body。 He examined the ear supposed to be healthy and there found the button lying against the tympanum。 This was explained by the fact that the child was so pained and terrified by the previous explorations of the affected ear that rather than undergo them again he presented the well ear for examination。 In the British Medical Journal for 1877 is an account of an unjustified exploration of an ear for a foreign body by an incompetent physician； who spent a half hour in exploration and manipulation； and whose efforts resulted in the extra