he Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
d
Curing Deafness by
Anatomical Drawing of the Face
Musculature Showing How All
tho Muscles, Including Those of
the Ear, Aro Controlled by tho
Same Nerve tho Facial; Tho
Arrangement of tho Muscles
Makes It Plain, Too, How a
Pull Upon Any of Them Results
in a Movement of the Ear Mus
cles Also.
By Professor Fernet
In JJh Addrett Before tho Par(
Academy of Medicine.
I HAVE been engaged for two years
la perfecting a method of using
tho external voluntary muscles of
tho car and scalp to combat ad
vancing deafness.
Tho nctlvo and systematic use of
these, musclea has tho effect of mas
saging tho ear drums, , bones and
nerves, maintaining their blood sup
(ply and nutrition and of protecting
them against atrophy. Tho exercises
arq principally useful In keeping tho
external and middle car in good con
dition. I would not dwell too much
ii.M- ,.i i , ti im,
l"Wl IIUUB " 1-"VI-
auditory nerve, but their effect can
only bo good.
"Making fades," or tho active use
of the facial muscles, has In many
ways n high value in preserving tho
acuteness of our senses nnd conse
quently life. To this fact wo must
nttrlbuto in some- degree tho long
life so commonly enjoyed by minis
ters of religion. They uso tho facial
muscles constantly and regularly In
preaching.
The same conclusion may be drawn
from actors, although the fact of
their longevity is not so generally
recognised. Thoso actOre who do
voto themselves to tho serious bWo
of "their calling with success nppear
to live longer than other men and
to retain tho acuteness of their
senses nnd faculties to a much
Greater ago than other old men. It
is hardly necessary to explain that
actors uso and train their facial
muscles to a greater degreo than any
other class. Moreover, they derive
nn additional beneflt from the fact
that ncuto hearing is necessary to
their work and they never allow It to
become dull from insufficient uso.
I describe my method of training
the ear as "oral gymnastics." It ia
Applicable in all cases whero deaf
ness is due not to an Irremedlablo
loalon qt tho acoustic nervo or the
auditory centres, hut to a chango In
Miss Esther Peterson, the Oshkosh
riaKinq i aces
How the Nerves and Blood Supply
of the Ears May Be Stimulated
and Massaged by Exercising
the Same Muscles That
Make Queer Grimaces
tho apparatus for transmitting tho
sound waves. This Is tlic common
est of nil forms of deafness.
Tho muscles and bones of tho mid
dle car stirrup bone, Incus bone and
hammer bono have a function of
"prlmo lmportanco to our hearing.
They nro tho accommodating ngents
for that npparatus of perfection, tho
drum. They nro as useful to the
sense of hearing as the accommodat
ing muscles of the eyo to that of
sight. The muscles of the external
oaf and thoso of tho Eustachian tubo
have only a secondary role, but
nevertheless thoy glvo help which Is
not to bo neglectcdj
Oral gymnastics should exorcise all
these muscles In order to Increase
their power. Those of the drum ap
pear to bo removed' from tho action
of our will, at least in the majority
of ncrsonS. Dut the education of
these lntter muscles Is much easier
than mo3t of us would think, and If
they do not obey our will more rend-
., ,,. .All- ,
not exercised them.
Take, for instance, the muscles of
the scalp and tho external ear. I be
Ilevo that it is qulto exceptional to
find n man who can contract them
voluntarily, yet actually we can And
n considerable number of persons
who can do bo, indicating that tho
function was originally a normal one.
We- also know that children In play
often make a practise of exercising
their cranial muscles nnd their ex
ternal eara nnd seldom havo any
difficulty In doing it.
Later this faculty is generally Jost
through lack of exercise, hut n little
patlenco and perseverance will suf
llco to. restoro it nnd produco very
appreciable contractions.
It Is the same with the muscles of
tho Eustachian tube. Is It not rea
sonable to expect that the exercises
which eet in motion tho cranial inus
cles, the external ear and the Eusta
chian tubo must affect tho associated
muscles of tho ear drum? ThU9 my
system of oral gymnnstics ends in
making tho muscles of tho delicate
ear drum contract with tho external
muscles.
Observo that all theso muscles are
supplied by the Bamo nerve, the fa
cial nerve, and that this common in
nervation explains tho closo relation
ship which unites them and associates
them In their contractions. In fact,
AGrdnd Open
Prima-Donna, as "La Tosca."
the isolated contraction of ono of
thoso muscles without several of tho
others is usually difficult or impos
sible to obtain.
For" this reason I consider it useful
in oral gymnastics to exorcise nil
tho muscles supplied by tup facial
nerve, no matter. how accessory they
may be. They all have the ppwor of
stimulating activity In the parts de
pending on tho snmo innervation.
Tho loslona of tho middle ear,
which nro tho commonest causes of
deafness, nro thickening of the mem
branes, exudates, adhesions, obstruc
tions and scleroses Thoso aro usual
ly duo to eruptions which occur fre
quently among heavy eaters and
rheumatic subjects or to various
atrophies of old age. Theso injuries
occur 1n tho outer part of tho middle
oar. Thoy nro all subject to the
ameliorating effect of oral gym
nastics. Though nutrition may be
interfered with, It Is not abolished,
and tho parts affected share in tho
GIUMACK NO. 1 Contraction
of the llrow nnd None, 'Which
MaTM the Scalp nnd Pull the
l'ac Miwcle In Direction) Indi
cated the Arrow. Dotted I.lne
Bhcma Normal Place of Kara,
Which Are Moved Backward by
Till "Face,"
incessant movement of regeneration,
which characterizes life, though in a
reduced degreo. Wo may, therefore,
hope to bring them to u better con
dition by stimulating their nutrition.
The benefits obtained by oral gym-
Tr tHENEVER a vaudovlllo com-
Wedlan wants to be really
euro of getting a laugh ho
will hazard tho guess that some ono
or other comes from Oshkosh. Osh
kosh Is a perfectly good little Wis
consin city, and why peoplo laugh
.whenever It Is mentioned is hard to
explain. They do laugh, however,
a llttlo more than thoy do at tho
mention of that other mirth-provoking
name, Kalamazoo.
But here Is up Oshkosh girl who
nas Just attained tho greatest kind
of success as a prima donna in Paris.
Esther Peterson is her name.
Littlo Miss Peterson Is tho daugh
ter of a wandering Methodist min
ister an Evangelist. When sho was
only nino she walked clear across
the United States with her father.
She sang hymns whilo he played an
old-fashioned barrel organ.
Tho child's rare volco attracted
the attention of a rich Chicago man,
a patron of tho arts and a famous
teacher of tho voice
The musician followed them, and
the very next week the little girl
had been freed from tho barrol organ
and was Btudylng undor her bene
factor. When sho was in her early teens
sho went to Paris. There sho sup
ported herself, in a fashion, by teach
ing and -by occasional newspaper
writing. Sho was ablo each week to
put asldo tho few dollars that gave
her tho privilege of attending the
classes of Jean Do Reazke and his
brother Edouard, tho most famous
teachers in Purls outside of tho late
Mmo. Marches!.
And then only a few days ago she
nang as "Lakme" at the Oalete
Lyrlque. Soldom was there such
instantaneous, glorious success. Im
presarios clamored for her. Dur
ing the Winter she will sing at
Cannes, at Mcntono and other Win
ter resorts. She has been engaged
for the "Grahdc Semalue" at Deau
ville In itself a triumph.
And all this, to the contusion of
the humorists, has come to a girl
from Oshkosh!
Copyright 1011
irrima Do
nasties are duo primarily to. tho
stimulation of the nutrltlvo supply
of tho various parts. This helps to
repair the ravages caused by disease
nnd to keep the organ in an invigor
ated condition.
Very often deafness is duo to func
tional Inertia nnd to the ntrophy
which follows tho condition. Thoso
cases have n progressive character,
which Is a necessary consequenco of
tho functional inertia. If only one.
ear Is affected tho subject instinctive
ly uses only his good car and the
other ear atrophies from lack of use.
It tho two ears are equally affected,
tho Inertia Is Ichs, but none tlio less
It exists because tho wufferor tends
to isolate himself from the world,
thus Increasing his infirmity. Oral
gymnastics, would correct both theso
olusses of cases.
I will now give a detailed descrip
tion of tho exercises. They nre di
vided Into throo series, exorcising
successively tho muscles of tho skull,
GRIMACE NO. 2 IlnUlnc of
the Musclea of the Forehead,
Which Lift the Ear Muiclm.
When Thin Movement la Made
Properly It Con He Kelt nt the
Ear 'rip Indicated by Arrow.
of tho external car and of tho Eusta
chian tube. Thoy thus proccod from
tho muscles most remote to thoso
nearest to the ear drdiU, which Is tho
principal object to bo reached.
Iu tho first exercise, which mny bo
nnJ-FromOsliW f
Miss Peterson as Sho Appeared in Her Triumph as "Aida."
hv the Sta- Company Great Ilrltalt, nights Reaervcl
nniMACn NO. S Third Con
traction of Forehead In the Di
rection Indicated by Arrow.
Theae Three Crlmnce, with No.
4, Are the Moat Important for
.Stimulating Ear Drum and It
Hone.
described as making faces, you eon
tract successively the different mus
cles of tho HpB, tho wings of tho
nostrils nud the eyelids. Tho con
traction of each group of muscles
should bo repontod a certain number
UIUMACE NO .4 Mouth and
Forehead Contraction, Which la
Performed Blmultaneomly Tilth
Any of the Preceding; Three User
clar a tfee Subject Become
More Expert,
of times deliberately and without
violent effort, Tho patient should
endeavor to make thorn stronger as
he proceeds and should bear In mind
that ho must try to make thorn reach
tho oar. When ho has become thor
oughly trained ho will feel the con
tractions most distinctly In tho oar.
The second scries which Is oven
morn iiiiportant, consists in exercls
lug tho muscles of tho skull and tho
external ear. lly u reasonable1 amount
of perseverance any man can suc
ceed iu producing contractions of
theso muscles which will bo ovldent
to tho eye. If the scaip muscles nt
1lrsl ticem Immovable and its if mjI
tiered to tho scalp, make it more
supplo.by massaging it at tho1 begin
ning of each exercise. Contract the
forohoad mueclo, thon tho occipital
musclo (that of tho top of tho Hcalp)
separately, and then both together,
no us to proilut'o a flowing backward
nnd forward motion of all the mus
cles of tho tipper part of tho skull.
After this tho patient combines the
contractions of tho occipital nnd the
frontal muscles with those of the pos
terior, superior nnd untorlor uttneh
inent muscles of tho cur, which
should bo qulto easy to do because of
tho connection between tho latter
and those of tho skull. During theso
contractions wo can hoo a movement
not very extensive but evident,, of
tho Whole external ear. During this
t-xerclsu tho patient mu9t endeavor
to extend tho movement us far as
possible Into tho external ear open
ing, aiming to reach the bottom of
this opening. This is how functional
activity Is imparted to tho little
bones In the car and to the drum it
oclf. 'rhe third nnd last series consists
of exercises to contract the muscles
of the Eustuehlou tube. These exer
cises are the most difficult of all.
Tho patient enn perform them by
making a movement us If tn swallow
food, well at tho back of tho nasal
t-avlty accompanied by tho simul
taneous contraction of tho superior
constrictor muscle of the pharynx
(top of tho throat) and the muscles
of the soft palate. In tho effort nt
Hwullowing tho backfpart of the
tonguo participates naturally.
It Is raised up at tho Rame time
as tho soft palate. You should feel
all theso purls move at tho same time
through tho closo bond thut joins
them.
To strengthen the Eustachian tube,
the pntlunt should also practise
breathing In with n snorting uolsc,
keeping his mouth closed.
Oml gymnnstics tmould bo per
formed slowly, leaving between tho
various exercises sufficient time to
avoid the fatigue which haste w.ould
purely entail. H is a4vlsablo to per
Phqtograph Showing a Con
traction of the Draws
That Gives a Healthful
Pull" to the Muscles of
the Ear. In Diagram
matic Form Aro Shown
(A) Tho Eustachian Tube,
(li)tho Hammer nnd Sun
Drum, tho Muscles of All
or Which Arc Stimu
lated by Facial Grimaces, Tho
Filaments .(C) Arc Thrcada From
tho Facial Nerve.
EXrcilCtHE NO. B Eierclae for
Opening Up and Stimulating the
Mtiaolra of the Kuatnrhlan Tube.
In Thl Poaltlon, with the Neck.
Muaclra Pulled .Downward, the
Nubject Nvrallovra VlKoronaly Mer
ern Time. Hepent with Other
Side of Neck.
form between each series physical
exorcises of a dlffcront chnracter,
such ns breathing exercises. You
must not forget that to obtain n
satisfactory result groat patience,
perseverance and an Intelligent pre
liminary Instruction nro necessary.
The Only Way.
Sandy arid nctialu Were iIIkcusmIiu
tlio domestic infelicities of a mutua,
friend.
"Ay, ay," uald Siimly, "Jumles
Thompson has a salr thno vl' thut
wife o' his. They any tlioy're uyi
iuiirrclllntf."
"What else can ye expectr wai
Donald's scornful rotOrt, "The pul
fedeB crraturo tnurlt after courtln
for only eoven year, Man, hq )iad Tit
chance to ken tho wpmun In sk-h
short tlnio. When I was coortln',
courted for twenty years!"
This little rtlaloKUrt tonic place on
railway Journey) and In tho further
corner Of tHo conipurtment vat un
KnKllohman, llstonlnt,' aird much
amused,
"And may 1 ask." he Inquired, "if
ronuuljlnl Wn followed this long
courtship?"
Donald looked at him reproachfully
"J tell ye i ooorteu fop twenty
year." ho talcl. "and in that tlpie 1
ketu what woman wiifc, una no l dldna
marry."
Hated Waste.
Snow won fall In if heavily ouUldi
the ioboolliouBn. and the yountr teach
er Improved the (lino by warning he"
clatm of tlio duimerH of oatchlng cold
Yes," nhd remarked, ''you mut bo
very careful Indeed, now that the real
cold weather has conic. Int Winter
my llttlo hrotlinr went out with hla
lodg-o and causht such a bad cold
that hu bus nover got properly woM
a Kit In.
"He ha to live In the South of
France. nnU must nover come back
to Knel.ind iiHuln In tho Winter! Ian t
that a terrible thing to happen?"
Tho pupllu looked duly sympathetic
nil s.ive ono, who eagerly deinunded
'Tleaie, teachr, whore'a his
ledr'
Eccentric Judges.
Mr. Uro has had omo ecaentno
nredoceasora on the Koottlth Uepc
The most oacuuti'la of all was Lord
Ufkcrove. Condemning u tailor to
death for inut'derlnr a soldier, Lord
KakBrovo remarked:
"Not only did you murder hlni,
whereby he lost his Ifc; but you did
thruit, or push, or pierce, of project,
or propol the lethal weapon through
his rsKlmentul clothes, which were
Ills Majenty's."
SeiitenciiiK two criminal for houte
breaklng with violence, after detail
ing the wuy they attacked tho per
sons of the houso. Kakgrove. went -n
"AH thl you djd, Uod preaerve u
JuBt as they ware vlttlnt: down to
