耳鳴の數値的表現に就て

　緒言

　耳鳴は耳科臨床上重要な症候であるが，其本態に就て尚闡明せらるゝに至らず，從つて其の治療法も特効的なるものはない．症候としては多數の經験により，感音系耳鳴には高調性の耳鳴が現れ，傅音系疾患には低調性のものが感ぜられることは明らかにされている．然し高調性とか低調性とか，莫然として云われるのみでその物理的性質については詳しい報告がない．

　私は先づ耳鳴とは何ぞや，之に關する諸家の説の主要なるものについて檢討してみよう．LurinはZentralblatt Fur Ohrhejtkundeに，耳の中，又はその周圍に音源を有する一切の音と云い，Jacobsonは，外來剌戟を除いて迷路又は神經中樞に於る終末器官の剌戟，又は中耳及其周圍に於て個人の體内に發生ぜる雜音等による聽覺の總稱と云い，其の原因については次の如き説がある．

MIZUOCHI states that, in view of the present stage of knowledge concerning tinnitus as a symptom though an important place it holds in among the symptoms in the field of otology, almost nothing is known as to its cause, pathology or treatment. Depending upon the degree of intensity of this symptom it s, used at times, as a means by which to suggest localization of pathological conditions elsewhere but, so far, there has been no report made in the literature relative to the substance with which these intensities are changed.

The author employs, in evaluating tinnitus, the method of masking as in testing for noise and the effects of the:: beat-occilator:: The strength of electr c current used to the occilator is measured by means of the negative pole occilograph, thereby obtaining the ratio to be calculated into decibel read-ings This method enables one to record the value of tinnitus in terms with which it may interfere hearing by masking actions.