Politzer's text-book of the diseases of the ear and adjacent organs... / by Adam Politzer ; translated by Oscar Dodd ; edited by Sir William Dalby.

  • Politzer, Adam, 1835-1920.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Politzer's text-book of the diseases of the ear and adjacent organs... / by Adam Politzer ; translated by Oscar Dodd ; edited by Sir William Dalby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    be observed that combined forms occur very often, rendering the classification of special cases in a certain group difficult. 1. Follicular Inflammation of the External Aiulitory Meatus {Otitis Externa Follicularis s. Circumscripta). Follicular inflammation of the external meatus has its seat chiefly in the cartilaginous section. The process commences either in a hair follicle or in a gland, but very often a whole group of neigh- bouring follicles and glands is affected. The inflammation is seated either in the deeper parts of the cutis lying near the perichondrium or in the superficial layers of the same. Etiology.—Follicular inflammation, commonly called furunculosis of the auditory meatus, occurs often without any known cause in healthy, strong persons; sometimes it is a part of general furuncu- losis of the external integument. Intercurrent furuncular forma- tions are observed in the course of chronic purulent otitis media and chronic eczema of the external meatus. Other causative con- ditions are : mechanical irritation of the meatus, especially frequent syringing; scratching with hard instruments in pruritus of the external meatus ; injuries of the same ; irritation caused by foreign bodies ; instillation of irritating substances into the ear ; the pro- longed use of alum solutions (v. Troltsch, Hagen). Lowenberg found in furuncular pus not exposed to the air, masses of micro-organisms, which lie looked upon as the cause of the furunculosis. The excitant of the disease has been proved to be the Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus and albus, which penetrate the hair follicles (Schimmelbusch). If the pus is discharged into the meatus, multiple fm'imcles may arise from the wandering of micrococci into other follicles, as is confirmed by the rapid recurrence of furuncles in the meatus. Occurrence.—-Furunculosis of the auditory meatus occurs especially in spring and autumn, so often that one is inclined to look upon the affection as epidemic in character. It occurs oftener in adults than in children; it is often observed in anjemia, in disorders of menstru- ation, in diabetes mellitus, and at the change of life (Hagen). Symptoms.—-The symptoms vary according as the inflammation is situated in the neighbourhood of the perichondrium, or in the superficial layers of the cutis. The afi'ection begins, particularly when it is deeply situated, with gradually increasing, tearing or beating pains, which radiate towards various parts of the head and neck, till the height of the inflammation is reached, when the patient is robbed of his sleep. By touching the ear, but especially