Hereditary, or biologic, deafness in children is a matter of concern to laymen, otologists and educators alike. However, the general attitude is one of resignation to and acceptance of a problem which admits of no easy solution. Various investigators, notably Taylor1 and Mosher,2 have emphasized the importance of certain drugs as etiologic factors. Both of these authors implicated the drug quinine, the former on the basis of its known effect on uterine musculature, the latter on the basis of lesions observed in the cochleas of fetal guinea pigs. Maternal endocrine lacks have been discussed at great length. More recently vitamin deficiencies have been blamed for the development of hearing defects in the neonatal and early postnatal periods.
The present study was undertaken on the basis of recent comprehensive studies3 which indicate clearly that allergy is definitely hereditary. Differences of opinion relate more to the immediacy of transmission than to the