The Ear a Barometer

Abstract

THE phenomenon described by my friend Mr. Boys, on p. 333, is pathological, and not physiological. He is clearly suffering from slight obstruction of the Eustachian tube, a canal which leads from the inner side of the tympanic cavity into the posterior fauces. Its natural relief is, as he very accurately describes, by the act of swallowing, which temporarily distends the tube. He can test its perviousness by holding his nose with his fingers and forcing air into the nasal cavity. Physicians are in the habit of placing an ordinary stethoscope over the ear, causing the patient to go through the act of deglutition, and listening for the “click” of escaping air. Mr. Boys will see, as a physicist, that, if the access of air on either side of the tympanum were free, increase or decrease of atmospheric pressure would make no difference.