Keeping the eustachian tube open is recognized as a necessity in cases of middle ear disease, both to ease pain in acute conditions, such as otitis media, and to prevent deafness resulting from chronic conditions, such as catarrh. With the air passage closed the air present in the middle ear is absorbed and the tympanic membrane is drawn in by the negative pressure thus created. The ossicles become fixed and deafness ensues. Van Dishoeck1 found that when there was catarrh in the eustachian tube the negative tension of the tympanic membrane usually varied from —10 to —20 cm. of water, dependent on the localization of the disease and the width of the tube. Any infection of the nose and pharynx is apt to clog the eustachian tube. However, the ostium is somewhat protected by folds of cartilage in adults, as shown by Yates2 in his studies on movement of cilia