BORING THE EARS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1112, 4 August 1882, Page 2

BORING THE EARS.

.. A great deal has been recent 1 y written (says the 'Lancet') on the subject or boring ears " for the sake of the eyes." It is always easy to find excuse for any practice which ministers to vanity. That the counter iritation set up by boring the car and wearing a ring may, during the few days following the operation, have some effect on the eyes, supposing these organs to be the seat of any low form of inflammation, is just possible, but that permanent good ajiould be done by wearing rings in the ears after they having ceased to irritate is inconceivable. The test for motive in the rocouse to this device would therefore bo willingness on the part of the applicant for this form t of|V treatment" allow the healing proc^|rto be delayed (say) by wearing a rough ring dipped in some irritating application— -in short, so prepared as to act like a seton ? This, indeed, might do good, but in such a case probably recourse to a few blisters behind the ears would be better. It is nonsense' to suppose the wearing of earrings can be oft ony service to the eyes unless ,t*hey irritate,, and if they do, irritate, ' the process by which foe result at* ributed to them is obtained is circuit- < ous, and from a surgical point of view awkward in the extreme. Science cannot prostitute truth to fashion even in so small a matter as the wearing of earrings.