On the funcions of the tympanum

Abstract

As in my present effort to obtain further light upon some of the still obscure points in the physiology of the ear I have been primarily guided by observations made upon my own ears, I should premise that both are very efficient for hearing; but that they differ from each other in the important particular that the faucial orifice of the right Eustachian tube closes much less tightly than that of the left, insomuch that there are times when the former becomes quite patent, with no disposition to collapse. Again, having lately been troubled for above five weeks with a tympanic deafness, I carefully registered a series of auditory phenomena resulting therefrom, and found them exceedingly noteworthy. Lastly, I have made certain experiments upon the external auditory canals of the sound ears. I compare, then, with one another, the phenomena yielded by a normal ear, an ear with an open Eustachian tube, an ear with the drum impaired in a particular manner, and an ear whose external meatus is in a known altered condition; calling in facts from other sources in aid; and, finally, endeavour to determine the uses to be assigned to the several structures of the drum in order to embrace all the phenomena.