Metal Casts Showing the Three-Dimensional Structure of the Human Inner Ear Were Converted Into Jewelry

Abstract

This article describes a straightforward method for making metal casts of the human inner ear developed in 1937 by M. Wharton Young of Howard University College of Medicine. These casts were used to study anatomy, but there do not appear to be any published photographs of the casts. Inner ear casts converted into jewelry provide the only known images of this work. Later, Young studied the inner ear in living rhesus monkeys by injecting mercury into their membranous labyrinths. Young's investigations indicated a blind-ending perilymphatic sac that was not in continuity with the subarachnoid space.

Identification and processing of in-ear acoustic signals

“…The cochlea, vestibule, and semi-circular canal together make up the inner ear, and the cochlea is responsible for hearing, while the vestibular and semicircular canals are responsible for balance. When the cochlea receives sound energy from the osseoakis of hearing, it stimulates the hair cells in the cochlea, which convert this energy into a bioelectric form, which is then transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve behind the cochlea to form hearing [4].…”

“Academic racism” and the neglected scholarship of the anatomist M. Wharton Young, MD, PhD (1904–1986)

“…He sent tie clips, earrings, and lapel pins made in this way to scientists such as the cell biologist J. Walter Wilson (1896-1969), a professor of biology at Brown University and Georg von Be´ke´sy (1899-1972), a Nobel Laureate who was an authority on the physiology of hearing. 29 The possibility that, late in his career, Young was attempting to make scientists aware about his work and its applications is supported by the following note that accompanied his gift to J. Walter Wilson, ''These casts are by-products of my early ear studies which led to our new concept of the structure and function of the ear in health (physiology) and in deafness (pathology) that is chronic and progressive (otosclerosis).'' 29…”

“…29 The possibility that, late in his career, Young was attempting to make scientists aware about his work and its applications is supported by the following note that accompanied his gift to J. Walter Wilson, ''These casts are by-products of my early ear studies which led to our new concept of the structure and function of the ear in health (physiology) and in deafness (pathology) that is chronic and progressive (otosclerosis).'' 29…”

“…24 Young disputed the prevailing view that the perilymphatic duct was in contact with cerebrospinal fluid via the subarachnoid space. His work with metal casting in both living rhesus monkeys and postmortem human temporal bones indicated that perilymph was in a closed tube 25 that ended in a “saccular dilation” that he termed a “perilymphatic sac.” 26–28 (For a fuller account of this work, see Heywood 29 ). Young's account of the perilymphatic sac raised the question: if perilymph were not able to leave the perilymphatic duct via the subarachnoid space, was there another means of exit?…”