s is copious enough pressure may
be developed within the cavity, middle-ear, to cause pain. These cases
vary much in severity. In the mildest ones there may be a few twinges of
pain in the affected ear, but nothing more; and even in the most severe
cases the pain does not last longer than a few hours, although it may
return on several successive days. Very many of the earaches of young
children, from two to ten years of age, are due to this disease. The pain
is very likely to come on late in the afternoon or during the night, while
earlier in the day the child may be free from pain. In the milder forms
the condition of the drum is similar to that existing in inflammation of
the eustachian tube. It is not then much changed from normal. There may be
more congestion than in this condition. In a fairly severe case the
membrane (drum) a few hours after the onset presents a most striking
change. It is a picture of obstructed venous (dark blood) circulation of a
high degree. In some cases one or more of these distended veins may
rupture and form a blood tumor in the external ear canal. The drum is red
and more or less swollen.

Treatment.--Very little is needed for this kind, except care and watching.
Use the simple hot water in the ear carefully or poulticing when there is
pain with onions, bread and milk, and puncture of the drum if it bulges or
is too tense. Hot water for gargle, steaming of the pharynx. Keep the
patient in a room with an even temperature. The patient must not take cold
as it might extend farther.

Recovery.--The outcome is usually good in this disease if proper care is
taken; Generally in a few weeks the inflammation is gone and the hearing
is restored.

[362 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

SEROUS MUCOUS EXUDATION INTO THE MIDDLE EAR.--The disease just described
is often associated with an (exudation) watery oozing of fluid into the
middle ear, but the following condition is different. Sometimes a
comparatively normal middle ear is found to contain a variable amount of
either fluid or mucus, or a fluid which represents a combination of both.
The failure of the fluid to absorb is due first to the fact that the
drainage through the eustachian tube is still obstructed; second, that the
absorbing process in the cavity is not acting normally.

Symptom.--Sudden change from somewhat poor to good hearing and the
reverse. It is due to the changing in the position of the fluid. The
hearing may be normal when the head is th