ief to the internal ear, there is another
still greater danger, namely, that of the _disease passing from the ear
to the brain_, and producing inflammation of its membranes, or even
abscess of its substance.

It is therefore of the greatest moment that every case of chronic
discharge from the ear should be looked on as important, and that no
pains be spared to bring about its cure; and further, that during its
continuance the slightest sign of disturbance of the brain--headache,
sickness, feverishness, and dulness--should at once be noticed, and the
advice of a competent doctor be immediately sought for.

These dangers, however, follow almost entirely on long-continued
discharges from the ear, but do not attend that acute inflammation of
the passage to the ear which is often met with in childhood, and the
symptoms of which sometimes cause needless fear, from being taken for
those of inflammation of the brain. Attacks of _earache_ are most
frequent before the first set of teeth have been cut, and are by no
means rare in young children, who are perfectly unable to point out the
seat of their sufferings. The attack sometimes comes on quite suddenly,
but usually the child is languid and fretful for a period varying from a
few hours to one or two days before acute pain is experienced. In this
premonitory stage, however, it will often cry if tossed or moved
briskly; noise seems unpleasant to it, and it does not care to be played
with; while children who are still at the breast show a disinclination
to suck, though they will take food from a spoon. The infant seeks to
rest its head on its mother's shoulder, or, if lying in its cot, moves
its head uneasily from side to side, and then buries its face in the
pillow. If you watch closely, you will see that it is always the same
side of the head which it seeks to bury in the pillow, or to rest on its
nurse's arm, and that no other position seems to give any ease, except
this one, which, after much restlessness, the child will take up, and to
which, if disturbed, it will always return. The gentle support to the
ear seems to soothe the little patient: it cries itself to sleep, but
after a short doze, some fresh twinge of pain arouses it, or some
accidental movement disturbs it, and it awakes crying aloud, and
refusing to be pacified, and may continue so for hours together.
Sometimes the ear is red, and the hand is often put to the affected side
of the head, but neither of these symp