Otitis media is one of the most frequent diseases of childhood. On account of the size of the aural canal and the tympanic membrane, it is difficult to obtain sterile cultures from the middle ear.
A method will be described whereby pus can be aspirated from the middle ear, and the organism can be cultured and isolated; it has proved satisfactory, and we believe that it can be easily carried out.
This study was made on children from 2 months to 2 years of age, selected indiscriminately, when the clinical evidence of otitis media was present.
TECHNIC
The contents of the middle ear are obtained by means of a specially made needle, 19 gage, 3½2 inches (8.9 cm.) long. To the needle, a glass observation tube (glass window) is added. A piece of soft rubber tubing, 3 inches (7.6 cm.) long is placed between the observation tube and a glass