IN EARLIER papers, in which a survey of the mycotic and of the bacterial flora of normal and pathologic ears was reported, it was stated that factors other than the pathogenic properties of the fungi per se must be considered. This statement was based on the observation that many patients have identical species of fungi in their auditory canal, yet only a few of them present symptoms of otomycosis. Among the factors to be considered are trauma and hypersensitivity.
It was decided, therefore, to attempt experimentally to induce otomycosis in rabbits, bearing in mind those factors thought to be of importance in the etiology of otomycosis. From this series of animal experiments it was hoped that information could be obtained that would serve as a basis from which further studies on hypersensitivity of patients with fungous infections might be made and that would throw light on the subject of trauma.