TESTS ON THE FUNCTION OF THE AUDITORY TUBE IN AVIATION

Abstract

The author had introduced the tests on the function of the auditory tube hitherto used and stated how the aviation aptitude tests should have been done.
This time, direct and indirect tests of the auditory tube were done on the aviators of civilian airlines. As direct tests, the quantitative test by Valsalva's method was done on 132 cases and the functional test of the auditory tube by sound-wave following Perlman's method was done on 128 cases. As for indirect tests, the test of tendency of acute and chronic inflammation of the upper respiratory tract which might cause insufficiency of the auditory 'tube was done in parallel with oto-pharyngoscopic examination.
Making 34 mrn.Hg in resistance to air douche and 2.0 (6db.) in opening rate of the auditory tube the limits, those who had less value in the former and more val in the latter were found to be not easily affected by aviation injuries of the Middle ear. However, it did not mean that the tendency of aviation injuries of the middle ear was seen more beyond these critical points. In other words, these results did not. bring much convenience to the physical examination for adoption of aviators, but. were helpful to know the etiology of the injuries. Such results seemed due to the fact that acute inflammation of the upper respiratory tract played the most important. part in the cause of aerotitis media. Therefore, it was quite significant to make efforts to find symptoms which showed the tendency of acute inflammation of the, upper respiratory tract.