EAR-ACH, in medicine. This disorder affects the concha, and the whole meatus auditorius. It is attended with inflammation, tumours, punctum, erosion, tension, pulsation, and a sense of weight.
Extraneous bodies falling into the meatus auditorius, or whatever excites pain in other parts, may cause it here.
The quality of the wax may be faulty, and be a cause; but the most frequent causes are heat and cold: sometimes an acrid serum is secreted in the glands of the ear.
If the pain is violent, it seldom fails to bring on a fever, which is early attended with great restlessness; and a delirium, fainting, and often convulsions, are the consequence: for the membrane that lines the ear is exquisitely sensible, and fully stored with nerves; besides, membranes which adhere to bones have a more than ordinary sensibility.
In the beginning, whilst the pain is not very con-
derable, a little warm olive-oil dropped into the ear will often relieve. If cold is the cause, keep the head warm. If there is inflammation and tumour, which will be known by the throbbing pain, a suppuration may be encouraged by cataplasms applied warm on the outer ear; but if the state of suppuration is not manifestly near, endeavour by bleeding, purging, and discutents applied to the ear, to remove the inflammation and pain. If external heat was the cause, bleed, and give daily a moderate dose of Glauber's salt as a purge, until the pain abates, or until there is reason to suspect a suppuration: an opiate may be given at night when the pain is violent. When acrid fluxions are the cause, inject a warm infusion of poppy-heads in water. When living insects have crept into the ear, blow the smoke of tobacco therein, and then pour in warm oil. If purulent matter discharges itself, inject tepid water, mixed with a little soap or honey of roses. Besides the above-mentioned, blisters behind the ears, blad-
bladders of warm water laid on the affected ear, and the pediluvium, are occasionally useful.