Chronic progressive deafness, including otosclerosis and diseases of the internal ear; summaries of the bibliographic material available in the field of otolaryngology for 1952.

Abstract

The literature on chronic progressive deafness has become so extensive that it necessitates for abstracting purposes brevity and the omission of repetitive reports. The papers reviewed are arranged under the headings of otosclerosis, Ménière's disease, toxic labyrinthitis, acoustic trauma, function and diseases of the labyrinth, hearing tests and auditory training, and miscellaneous contributions on deafness. <h3>Otosclerosis</h3> Hall¹studied the bone removed from 120 fenestration operations, correlating the clinical data with the pathology. Various stages of the disease were demonstrated. These changes seemed to center around the vascular spaces, thus supporting the vascular theory of the origin of otosclerosis. The Nylens²suggest that a particular vascularization of the otic capsule and/or a metabolic disorder, mainly due to imbalance of the internal glands of secretion, are of importance in the genosis of otosclerosis. At present the most plausible disturbance seems to be a slight primary or secondary dysfunction of the