• The Light, Vibration, and Electrical Rooms

    An individual by the name of Martin Kroeger published several adverts for treatment of deafness in London’s newspapers, introducing a new treatment that would benefit or cure certain forms of middle-ear deafness. Evan Yellon, the writer of Surdus in Search of His Hearing (1906), a copy which is at the RNID Library on Grey’s Inn… Continue Reading

  • 1825: Electricity as Treatment for Deafness

    William Wright on electricity as treatment (1825): Electricity may be, and we find in some cases of diminished hearing, that it is a powerful auxiliary; but as electrical machines are too often in the hands of men incapable of judging to what cases electricity ought or ought not to be applied, so the author who… Continue Reading

  • 1817: Some Treatments for Deafness

    John Harrison Curtis’ A Treatise on the Physiology and Diseases of the Ear, first published in 1817, lists several common treatments for a variety of ear diseases and deafness: Compound Calomel Pill and ointment made up of equal parts of the nitrated mercurial ointment and an astringent injection called Hugi Lard. Used for herpetic eruption of ears that… Continue Reading

  • The Artificial Tympanum

    Perforation of the eardrum (tympanic membrane or tympanum) is a very common injury to the ear, often resulting from ear infection, trauma (damn those Q-tips!), loud noise, or blockages in the Eustachian tubes. Most cases the damage is minor and the drum heals quickly on its own, but other cases bring about hearing loss, and… Continue Reading

  • Medieval Surgery: Abulcasis

    I was watching World Without End and came across this scene in which a female medical practitioner explains the value and beauty of a surgical textbook she purchased: I don’t recognize the book–does anyone know what it is? On the left page, there’s a man fighting Death. The right page is the Zodiac Man, an explanation… Continue Reading

  • The FM Listening System

    Do you recall how I wrote previously that there’s hardly any pictures of me with my hearing aids revealed, except in some grade school photos? Well, look what I found… Don’t be fooled by my smile. It is for the camera only and does not reveal my exasperated hate for the awful, dreaded, FM listening system. What… Continue Reading

  • Popular Remedies for Deafness

    The aurist William Wright (1773-1860) published a journal in 1825, The Aurist. In the third volume, 31 May 1825, he prints the first of series of articles to be devoted to discussing the merits of some popular remedies advertised and recommended by aurists and “quacks” in London. Unfortunately, the third volume was the last one, but we… Continue Reading

  • The Proprietor

    Correspondence in The Lancet, 1852: Sir–I am about to ask two questions which I believe you will not answer, and I shall even be surprised if the note which contains them is permitted to find a place in your columns. My first question is this:—“Is it true that Yearsley, the aurist, is the proprietor of the ‘London… Continue Reading

  • James Yearsley (1805-1869)

    James Yearsley was an outspoken aurist who was known in mid-nineteenth century London for irritating other medical practitioners with his obnoxiousness. He’s a very interesting fellow to examine the field of aural surgery within the 1830s medical reform and march of progress movements in England–no wonder he’s become the subject of my last dissertation chapter.

  • Monday Series: Inquest into a Surgical Procedure IV

    As per guidelines for coroner’s inquests, the jury was to view the body and judge their verdict on their observations as well as on the witness depositions and postmortem report. This raises specific questions about the value of medical witnessing, which Thomas Wakley argued was essential for a proper investigation. Yet the cause of death… Continue Reading

  • Searching for Charlatans

    One of the lessons I try to get across to students in my History of Medicine class at Ryerson is how to “read” images and assess their value as source–i.e what kind of implicit or explicit meanings are embodied in the images and what kinds of messages are being transmitted, as well as how clearly… Continue Reading

  • HPS Blogging V.2013

    Recently I was thinking about a conversation we had three years ago, about the value of HPS blogging, and I can’t help but wonder, have things changed? Nathaniel Comfort is asking the same thing, emphasizing that those in the HPS community who use social media “are convinced that social media can be interesting and valuable… Continue Reading