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12
discovered to have defective hearing in one or both ears was
6.5. These children were then sent to the Aural Clinic for
examination. An endeavour was made to discover what was
keeping them deaf, and also to determine whether something
could be done for them.
"Some of the patients showed extensive damage to the
drum and middle ear by suppuration. This might be still
present or have completely ceased. In those cases in which
it was present treatment was given to arrest it and put a stop
to further damage. Other cases of deafness showed inflammation
in the nose and obstruction of the eustachian tube.
Where the obstruction was due to congestion or to chronic
catarrh of recent or moderate duration the treatment devised
by Dr. Gautier, of Paris, and known as diastolisation, was given.
"The introduction of the audiometer—an American instrument—into
the schools as a routine method of testing quickly
and accurately the hearing of large numbers of children is an
important innovation and advance. It makes it possible to
detect cases of slight deafness which might easily be overlooked.
The doctors of the School Medical Service, as well the patients,
are indebted to Dr. Crowden for the trouble he took in bringing
the instrument forward and testing all the children. To know
of the existence of a defect is the first step in remedying it."