Otitis Externa

Dr. Stanley Wilde reports a case of otitis externa with subsequent otorrhoea and deafness, the latter resisting several remedies as Merc, sol., Hydrastis and Sulphur. The case presented a thickening and narrowing if the meatus, with a thin flaky discharge therefrom, watch hearing 4 in. Kali mur. 3x stopped the discharge, and the hearing became normal. Dr. Wilde has used this remedy with good effect in Eustachian deafness in children from chronic enlargement of the tonsils. - Hom. Review.

Dr. Goullon reports a case of an old gentleman who suffered greatly with a buzzing in ears, which was made much worse in the noisy street. The patient had repeated attacks of inflammatory rheumatism, and the tinnitus was probably of rheumatic origin, Mentally much depressed. Difficult hearing. After a few days' use of Kali phos,6 all symptoms. including the mental condition and difficult, hearing, permanently disappeared. - Pop. Horn. Zeitung.

A gentleman wrote me the symptoms of otitis of a little child, aet. 4 months, who had a discharge from one ear of an ichorous, thin, offensive character, producing an eruption wherever the pus came in contact with the integument. I at once sent Kaliphos. 6x, ordering it given every six hours. In three months the running had all ceased, and the hearing was perfect. I frequently use the Silicea in alternation with the Kali phos., when the connective tissue is involved. (A. P. Davis, M. D).

Another case of "otitis catarrhalis internus "came into my office to see me, after spending over (600 with the "regulars." This case was the most remarkable that I ever witnessed or treated. The man was a tall, slim, sanguine, nervous specimen of the genus homo, rude, illiterate, backwoods, gawky looking, seedy, cross between the ourang-outaug, monkey, and Chinaman, but possessed of sensation, motion and reflection, proving to my mind that he was a man for "a" that" and "a' that." Well, I went through the examination sufficiently scrutinizingly to ascertain the exact pathological condition of the trouble I had to meet. There was an enormous protuberance involving the whole mastoid region, the skin red and glistening, soft, pappy, showing signs of an induration and broken-down connective tissue, and the whole mass filled with pus, and emitting an odor that was as sickening as carrion. I at once plunged a knife into the mastoid process, out of which ran about a half pint of blood and pus. After cleansing the tumor with Eucalyptus I bound up the wound, leaving in it a drainage-tube, I treated the wound every day, putting him under the influence of Silicea, a dose every two hours.

Under the treatment I had the satisfaction of seeing him improve from day to day, and in four weeks the whole trouble ceased. He had no relapse, but the cure advanced steadily until he was well. This case was pronounced hopeless by several allopaths. (A. P. Davis, M. D).

Wm. McKee, aet. 27, suffers from deafness, due to chronic non-suppurative catarrh of the middle ear. While a lad, and on to manhood, went out a great deal at night to dances and parties, where he would dance and romp until in a great heat and profuse sweat, when he would go out of doors and remove his coat. In this way he would contract a cold, and one cold after another, until he found himself a sufferer from chronic catarrh of the nose and throat, the discharge being continual and very annoying. At this time (about six years ago) he noticed a noise commencing in his ears, and it gradually increased until he became aware of the fact that his hearing was damaged. He then commenced treatment, and not getting immediate relief from his first doctor he changed, and soon changed again, in this way going to several doctors, a few of them old-school specialists, and then gave up discouraged, and let the disease run its course unhindered. When he came to me (last March) he said he had been unable to hear anything but confused noises, even when the loudest tones were used to accost him, for five years. He is of medium height, rather slender, with inclination to red hair; has blue eyes, a fair complexion, and has a slightly anaemic appearance.

He describes the noise in his ears as dull and rumbling, if he pays no particular heed to it; but if he concentrates his thoughts on it, he can imagine that it resembles almost any kind of a noise. One thing I wish to mention which was quite prominent, and quickly disappeared under the remedy - viz., he would be awakened in the night by a loud bombing noise and afterward be unable to sleep "for the racket in his ears." There were a number of nervous symptoms in the case that led me to show him to Dr. Bartlett: X. Slight melancholia, would go off alone and brood over his troubles for hours. 2. He would stagger while he walked. I found his tendopatella reflex much decreased and on standing with his eyes closed he would fall over in my arms, couldn't manage at best to take three steps forward with eyes closed without falling. I have kept him pretty steadily on Ferrum phos., and the improvement is remarkable. He can hear every word of the longest sentence by slightly raising the voice when accosting him at several feet away. The noises are greatly lessened, he sleeps well, and the nervous symptoms are fast disappearing.

I have continually inflated the middle ear by Politzer method, once a week. (Dr. F. W. Mes-serve).

Mastoid Periostitis - Sii.icea

Dr. A. T. Sherman, of Minnesota, reports a case of a man who had suffered for six days with pain in mastoid region. On examination found the membrana tympani highly injected, tuning-fork was heard indifferently on each side when pressed against parietal bones; hearing impaired on the affected side. Temperature 100. Very weak, nervous; complete muscular paralysis of right side of face. The condition of the sense of bearing precluded brain disease. There was no difficulty in swallowing, or other evidence of paralysis of the muscles of the fauces, which placed the trouble beyond the origin of the petrosal nerve. There was 110 disturbance of taste or of the salivary glands, which placed the trouble beyond the origin of the chorda tympani. He diagnosed mastoid periostitis with pressure on the seventh nerve immediately on its exit from the duct of Fallopius. On protruding his tongue it was drawn somewhat toward the affected side. While contemplating incision, patient mentioned that on the previous morning he had found relief and some sleep placing the head in a warm poultice of Indian meal. Gave Silicea,200 a dose every three hours. In forty-eight hours all pain had ceased and temperature normal.

Relief from moist warmth was the guiding symptom to the remedy.

Meniere's Disease

Dr. Fellows reports in the "Clinique" two cases of this disease greatly and speedily relieved by Silicea 3x and 6x, given several times daily.

Mrs.--------, set. 34. March 30, 1886. For several years has been troubled with deafness from time to time, upon the right side, accompanied by tinnitus of ringing and pulsating character, and with occasional pain. Mt. slightly depressed and thickened upon the right side. Nose catarrhal in slight degree. H. D. R. w. m 22" = 29" Cath2 Calc. phos. 2x N. M.

To spray the nostrils with weak, warm solution of common salt. April 7. H. D. R. w. = 21" = 31" Cath2. Kali mur. 6x N. and M. April 14. H. D. R. w. = 22" = 52" Cath2 Kali mur. 6x N. and M. April 21. H. D. R. w. = 36" = 6 ft. Cath3.

Tinnitus has ceased. Kali mur. 6x N. April 27. H. D. R. w. = 46" = 7 ft. Cath3.

No further tinnitus. Kali mur. 6x alt. N.

It is now three years since this case was discharged, and at the expiration, of two years I heard that there had been no recurrence of any trouble whatever. As another year has passed without news from the patient, the improvement doubtless remains permanent. It is needless to say that the spraying with salt solution in this case was not sufficiently potent to detract from the cure, while the catheter could have been but an aid only, especially when the permanence of the relief is considered.

In closing my remarks upon the use of Kali mur. in these aural diseases, I will simply state that my experience agrees with the observation of others that it follows particularly well after Ferrum phos. or Merc, dulcis, and is itself sometimes followed especially well by Calcarea sulph. (H. P. Bellows, M. D., in N. E. Med. Gaz., Nov., 1889).

Silicea In Suppurative Otitis

Dr. Bellows records a case of distressing and frequently recurring frontal headache, which seemed traceable to chronic middle ear suppuration. The tympanum was perforated. Siticea 3 taken for some months dried up the discharge, healed the tympanum, and made the hearing normal, while the headaches soon disappeared. - N. E. Med. Gazette, Feb., 1893.

Enuresis

See Urinary Disorders.