We are indebted to Toynbee'" for the first pathological-anatomical observations of the human temporal bone; the results of 1,659 ear sections were presented in his Catalogue Descriptive. This work, however, lacked a comparison of the pathological and functional changes of the auditory organ. Eleven years later, in 1868, von Troltsch" was able to correct this deficiency by a subtler knowledge of inner and middle ear anatomy. Because of his anatomical contributions to the knowledge of otorrhea he is regarded as the founder of the pathophysiology of the ear. A few years later Politzer'" published a pathological-anatomical histology of the middle ear cavity lining. In 1878 his handbook of otology was published in two volumes, through which work scientific otology was established.Lincke'" and also Wildberg 45 characterized the middle ear cavity lining as "tela mucosa" without glands. It was also Wildberg who distinguished the middle ear mucous membrane from the nasal mucous membrane, since he regarded it as a continuation of the sensitive mucous membrane of the eustachian tube. Erhard" spoke of an endothelium-like epithelium which, similarly to serous membrane, secretes fluid sparsely. According to him this extremely thin mesothelium lies close to the periosteum of the temporal bone. Here is found the first suggestion that the epithelial layer and the "mesenchyma substratum," which cover the middle ear, are two different things. This reflects itself repeatedly, not the least in the terminology, such as mucoperiosteum used by Beck" and Steurer.i" endosteum pneumaticum by Krainz'" or mucoendosteum by Eigler. 8 In this way, each tried to characterize the many possible forms of reaction of the middle ear mucous membrane, which acts not only in defense against or in response to disease but, according to Wittmaack,46 also as an active function in the pneumatization of the mastoid. Singer'" was one of the first pathologists to concern himself with the middle ear mucous membrane.
