Physiology of the glands of the human ear canal: preliminary report.

It has been our clinical impression that some patients suffering from recurring eczematoid dermatitis of the external auditory canal present hypersecretion of the glands of the ear canal (Shelley's observations confirmed this (1)). It was also a clinical impression that this secretion could be stimulated in the same manner as palmar (emotional) sweat. Many such patients volunteered the information that exacerbations of the dermatitis in the ear canals were associated with "emotional stress" or anxiety. The question arose as to whether "ear gland hyperhidrosis" might play a role in the production of dermatitis of the external auditory canal. Before clinical studies could be properly evaluated, fundamental knowledge on the structure and physiology of normal glands of the ear canal was needed. fSome information on such structure was available in the literature. Studies on the physiology of the glands of the external auditory canal of man are very meager. This report deals with the apparatus and technic found necessary to carry out such studies.