On the varieties of deafness, and diseases of the ear, with proposed methods of relieving them

Front matter

YALE MEDICAL LIBRARY

HISTORICAL LIBRARY

1.13.

Introduction

Medical and surgical treatises, in general, are so replete with technicalities, that persons of rank will not spare time from their amusements, nor take the trouble to peruse them, although afflicted with the peculiar malady, respecting the symptoms, or relief, of which those works profess to treat.

The middle classes of society, and those

engaged in professional pursuits, or in trade,

have not leisure for the purpose, and the more

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VI INTRODUCTION".

humble portion of the community, if they read works of the above description, replete with terms of art, do not fully comprehend them, in consequence of the style of language in which they are written.

A plain explanation of the organ of hearing, and an account of its various diseases, with observations on the methods proposed for relieving them, appears to be a desideratum. Therefore I have endeavoured to divest the language of this work of technicalities, as much as possible, in order to render it more useful to the non-medical reader. Yet I trust I have collected into one focus, so much information derived from facts, or deduced from my own extensive experience, that my labours will be deemed worthy a place in the libraries of my professional brethren, to whom I am happy to embrace every opportunity of expressing my acknowledgments, for the many personal atten-

INTRODUCTION. yj[

tions I have experienced, and their liberality in presenting to my notice, from time to time, such curious cases as have occurred in their practice.

From the rank in my department of the profession, to which I have been elevated by the opinions of the most eminent medical and surgical characters of the present age, I feel it a duty incumbent on me, to oppose unreasonable, or unscientific opinions, and erroneous modes of practice, without regarding who the practitioner may be with whom they originate ; for the professional opinions, or modes of treatment adopted by medical men, are of such importance to society, that they become a species of public property, the truth, or error, of which, every one has a right to investigate, or make comments upon, without being deemed guilty of personal hostility.

viii INTRODUCTION.

Most modern authors, by the manner they have written on the anatomy, and physiology of the ear, would lead their readers to believe that each of them was the individual, who had made the discovery of the several portions, and their uses in the general phenomena of the sense of hearing ; — the fact is not so, for the various parts were discovered progressively, some centuries being required for the purpose ; and vcrtious have been, and still are, the theories as to the use of each part. In framing my Lectures, in 1816, and 1820, I availed myself, as every lecturer on any matter of science has done, of the knowledge derived from the more ancient authorities, to which I added my omii remarks, arising from actual post mortem examination, or from the experience I have attained, that certain causes generally produce specific eflfects on the living. From those lectures I have formed an abridgment of the

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anatomy and physiology of the ear, sufficient, I trust, to enable persons who are not conversant in the subject to understand it. Some curious facts, as to the comparative anatomy between the human race, and other living creatures, may also, to the general reader, prove acceptable, as matter of amusement and instruction. The professional world have it in their power to refer to larger works of established merit in their original text, which would suffer by even the most careful transcription.

I have considered it necessary, in common justice to myself, to give references to the pages of my former works, where certain subjects are mentioned ; because in a publication which has just made its appearance, claims of originality are made on those very points, which I had previously, and publicly brought

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under the notice of the medical world, and general reader.

W. WRIGHT.