MR. GRANT GIVES THE FOLLOWING RULES ABOUT FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EXTERNAL EAR.
1. Be sure that the foreign body is seen. To attempt to extract a foreign body without first seeing it is highly dangerous.
2. Determine what the body is, and, if possible, obtain a sample of the body supposed to be in the ear.
3. Remember that a body which will not swell, and has no cutting edge, will generally remain without causing any urgent symptoms.
4. Seeing the body, determine with a probe if it be movable. If easily movable, concussion with a downward position of ear will often remove it.
5. Warm water injection is the best of all methods of removing foreign bodies.
6. If it be a vegetable substance, do not inject fluid unless you have time to extract the body either at one operation, or shortly afterwards.
7. Injection failing, which is very exceptional, a surgeon, with the necessary appliances, ought to be at once consulted, or should urgent symptoms arise from the irritation in the attempted extraction, the extraction by the incisions, galvano-cautery, boring out by trephine or conical file the centre of substance, and so causing its collapse; or even detachment of the auricle may be necessary.—The Medical Press and Circular.