Volume 11, Number 4, December 1986

THE AMERICAN TINNITUS ASSOCIATION

AYA
NEWS
Dr. Jack Vernon, Director of Oregon Hearing Re-
search Center "bending the ear" of Senator Mark
0. Hatfield, ATA Board Member
A NEW ATTACK
ON AN OLD PROBLEM
A new approach to tackling the many problems of
hearing impairment, including tinnitus, has received
government funding. A congressional appropriation has
been made to the U.S. Dept. of Education to set up a
special Hearing Research Center at the Oregon Health
Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. The sum of
$4,785,000 will be devoted to supporting a variety of
research projects dealing with hearing loss, its preven-
tion, and treatment. Over the next 5 years the Center
will address itself to such important problems as: bet-
ter treatments for tinnitus; ways to provide improved
hearing for aging ears; prevention of hearing loss due
to agents that damage the ear; and improved testing
and diagnostic methods for evaluating both hearing loss
and tinnitus.
The Oregon Hearing Research Center was
spearheaded by Senator Mark Hatfield, who has long
been known to ATA members as a concerned and ef-
fective worker for the cause of better hearing. Senator
Hatfield has served as a member of the ATA Board of
Directors since 1978 and has taken a keen interest in
the past hearing research conducted by the Oregon
Health Sciences University through its Kresge Hearing
Research Laboratory, part of the Department of
Otolaryngology of the School of Medicine. The new Cen-
ter for Hearing Research will incorporate the former
Kresge Laboratory and its staff. under the direction of
Dr. Jack Vernon. The Oregon Hearing Research Cen-
ter is expected to continue as a major center for tinni-
tus research in the United States.
CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE
RELIEF OF TINNITUS- PART Ill
by Jack A. Vernon, Ph. 0., Director Oregon Hearing Re-
search Center
This is the final section of a three part article about
current research in tinnitus. By now it is undoubtedly
the case that some more projects have been initiat-
ed but they will have to await later reports.
12. Ultrasound. Bihari and his coworkers in Japan
accidentally discovered that low-powered ultrasound
relieved tinnitus in a patient being treated for other prob-
lems. This accidental finding led them to conduct an
ultrasound study on 40 tinnitus patients where the low-
powered ultrasound was applied to the ear. Only 28 pa-
tients completed the study (we are not told why 12 quit)
but all28 experienced relief of tinnitus as compared to
placebo trials. The patient can neither feel nor hear the
ultrasound, therefore, placebo trials were easy-simply
leave the machine off.
These investigtors now plan a large-scale study and
we anxiously await their results. One word of caution,
however. These investigators make no mention of con-
cern for damage to hearing and there may be none.
But I'd be more comfortable if they would constantly
check the high-frequency hearing of their patients dur-
ing treatment.
(Continued from page 1)
13. Craigwell Master Tinnitus Suppressor. The
Craigwell Company of Dorchester, England, has
produced a unique new approach to masking. They
offer the Master Tinnitus Suppressor which is a porta-
ble noise generator capable of considerable variation
in the nature of the noise. The patient. after receiving
instructions on use, takes the Master Suppressor home
and works with it until he finds a particular kind of noise
which not only covers up his tinnitus but which is also
acceptable to him as a substitute for tinnitus. Once the
patient has made this determination he pushes a but-
ton and the Master Suppressor produces a cassette
tape of the masking sound. The patient then returns the
Suppressor to the clinic, keeping the cassette tape which
he uses on a portable cassette player.
14. Custom-made Cassette Tapes. It is interesting
that the Kresge Lab and the Craigwell Company have
independently been doing aoo\;.lt the
al months ago, we started making customized mask-
ing tapes for those patients on whom conventional
ear-level maskers would not work. We have always ar-
gued that commercial ear-level maskers would have
benefited from a variable control with which to alter fre-
quency components.
In the laboratory, we put together some stock labora-
tory equipment such as a wide-band noise generator,
some filters and some equalizers. The output of this ar-
rangement was applied to the patient by earphones.
Then, by trial and error, and with guidance from the pa-
tient, we began changing the quality of the sound until
it masked the tinnitus. Further adjustments were then
made so as to make the sound more pleasant or more
acceptable to the patient. Once found, that sound was
then recorded on a cassette tape and given to the pa-
tient. The patient used the taped masking sound when-
ever they wanted relief of their tinnitus by playing it on
a portable cassette player, such as the Realistic SCP-19
sold by Radio Shack, or a SONY Walkman. To date, we
have tried this procedure on 14 patients and it has
worked on all but one of them. No doubt, we can_ e>$:_
pect to encounter more failures as we continue this ap-
proach. Nevertheless, I see customized masking tapes
as a useful procedure for hard-to-mask patients.
15. WIDEX Hearing Aid Company in Sweden has just
announced a very similar approach to masking. Their
unit is called THE WATIC TINNITUS MASKER TM-3.
It is a portable unit with ear-insert earphones and its
output can be adjusted so as to produce the kind of
masking noise the patient finds effective and accept-
able. One distinct advantage of the Watic Tinnitus Mask-
er is that the quality of the masking sound can be easi-
ly altered at any time if, and whenever, the need arises.
In the near future, we expect to receive the Watic TM-3
for testing here in the U.S. As with other anticipated
studies, you will be informed of the results. But don't
get impatient; these things take time, some of which is
devoted to obtaining permission to do the study.
The final effort to be reported to you, Bob Hocks, really
2
doesn't fit into any of the above research categories,
for it is the effort of a single patient. But what a neat
effort it is! This lady, upon walking through a garden
supply store, suddenly realized that her tinnitus was
gone. Naturally she stopped, wondered, and looked
around. And as she did so, she found the solution. The
store was demonstrating one of those recirculating water
fountains. The sounds of the falling water had masked
her tinnitus. So she bought the fountain and had it in-
stalled in her bedroom.
I have repeatedly asked tinnitus patients to be on the
look-out for environmental sounds which relieve their
tinnitus. And we have just seen a beautiful example of
how well that approach can work for at least one
patient-but most likely for many more as well. It seems
to me that the age-old prescription: "Learn to live with
it" should have been "Look for ways to relieve it."
Conclusion
Dear reader, permit me.J.Qjnflict upon you yet again
so1 11e of 1119 pr ivate"ltrooghts::l be1teve ll 1at t11ere Will
never be a single one thing which works to relieve tin-
nitus for all patients. Tinnitus arises from too many differ-
ent causes and is found in too many different forms to
have them all respond to a single treament; there will
be no panacea. There will eventually be a battery of
things to try. The future, as I see it, will consist of a vari-
ety of effective treatments and the individual patient will
proceed through these seeking the one treatment which
is most effective for them.
As I look back over this talk with Bob Hocks, I see
15 different research approaches from almost as many
different countries, all aimed at helping the tinnitus pa-
tient. At no previous time in history have we ever seen
so much activity dedicated to this cause.
The media and Hollywood have established a com-
mon belief that science and medicine move ahead by
"breakthroughs." They would have us believe that bril-
liant insights produce major advances. In reality, it is
not that way at all. Seldom are there breakthroughs
where the whole, complete solution suddenly appears
as if by magic. The more realistic case is that of a con-
stant chipping away at small advances.-Sigr1ificanLad- _
vances are most often the result-oC!happy accidents"
-something flipped when it should have flopped and
a new discovery gets made. Happy accidents can only
occur, however, when someone is stirring things up. If
no one is doing research, there will be no happy acci-
dents, for those things do not arise spontaneously.
So, Bob Hocks, I will end by saying this to you. I am
very optimistic about the future for tinnitus patients be-
cause, as you can see, the tinnitus research pot is be-
ing stirred up by a lot of folks.
NEW WONDER DRUG
CURES DEAFNESS???
The above headline greeted readers of the "Weekly
World News" on August 12, 1986. The accompanying
article generated a flood of mail to ATA as readers in-
quired about the efficacy of the drug that was described.
Only quite recently have we been able to obtain infer-
(Continued from page 2)
mation about the study on which the article was based.
We are printing for your information an article written
by Jonathan Hazell, Consultant Neuro-Otologist to the
Royal National Institute for the Deaf, London, England.
Dr. Hazell is also well known for his research work about
tinnitus. Our thanks to "Soundbarrier, The Journal of
the Royal National Institute for the Deaf" and to Dr.
Hazell for allowing us to reprint this information. Follow-
ing Dr. Hazell's article will be comments from Dr. Robert
Brummett, researcher in pharmacology at the Oregon
Hearing Research Center, who is well known for his work
with drugs that affect the ear.
On 28 May the Daily Telegraph reported that clinical
tests in West Germany had shown that extract from the
Chinese maidenhair tree (incorrectly described as Jap-
anese) had improved damaged hearing nerves. and
that in most cases tinnitus (noises in the ear) was elimi-
nated. Such a dramatic report resulted in numerous let-
ters and telephone calls to the RNID from tinnitus
sufferers and hearing impaired enquirers hoping that
a cure had been found. Examination of the original ar-
ticle by F. H. Sprenger which appeared in the West Ger-
man publication Medical Practice, (Vol. 38, No. 29, 12
April 1986, pages 938-940) indicated that the report in
the Daily Telegraph had, to say the least, mildly exag-
gerated the facts. Nevertheless, any reports of medical
treatment helping those with tinnitus or hearing impair-
ment should be taken seriously. In this study 64 patients
with inner ear or nerve deafness of varying degrees
were treated with gingko biloba which was described
as a highly purified standardised extract obtained from
the dried leaves of the gingko biloba tree. The most im-
portant active ingredients are gingko specific terpene
and gingko heterocide. Is supposed to have an effect
on cell metabolism and increase glucose consumption
in areas where there is a poor blood supply.
The paper was difficult to follow, despite the three ex-
cellent translations received at the RNID from different
sources, for which we were very grateful! The study was
described as retrospective, that is to say a researcher
looking at the notes of individuals who received this drug
treatment as a matter of course. It was also uncontrolled,
that is to say the tree extract was not compared with
an inactive substance or placebo- a course of action
which is generally considered desirable in order to ex-
clude the placebo effect. In other similar studies appar-
ent improvements in hearing and tinnitus have occurred.
due to normal fluctuations of the symptom, or simply
because the patient believes the substance will work.
In this study 37 per cent of those in the group had an
improvement in hearing of between 10 and 20 dB. This
apparently occurred in the mid frequency range, al-
though there were no audiometric data available in the
paper. Nine per cent were said to have an improvement
of more than 20 dB, and in 40 per cent the therapy was
3
without success or a slight change for the worse in the
tested frequency range was observed. Only half the
group of 64 patients were experiencing tinnitus. Thirty
per cent of these were said to have had a disappear-
ance of their tinnitus, but in 50 per cent there was no
change in the symptom.
This hardly justifies a report that 'in most cases tinni-
tus was eliminated'. The changes in hearing are most-
ly quite small, and only at certain frequencies, and
should not be described as '1 in 4 regaining their hear-
ing in full'. The Daily Telegraph later revealed (while
regretting that space did not permit mention in the origi-
nal article) that the treatment lasted 8 weeks at a cost
of f900 per week! [ed. note, this is about $1350. at an
exchange rate of $1.50].
Since the 1920's, when medical interest in deafness
began to increase. there have been reports in both
general medical and specialised ENT journals of differ-
ent drugs having an effect on nerve deafness and tin-
nitus. Most of these papers involved small numbers of
indi.viduals and practically no experimental control or
comparisons with inert substances or other drugs. It is
a great shame that the possible benefits of such drugs
are obscured by poorly conducted research which
tends to bring them into disrepute. However, it is unlikely
that any simple substance will reverse the process of
degenerative change which occurs in the cochlea and
nerve of hearing and is the cause of most sensory hear-
ing impairment and tinnitus, particularly when associat-
ed with the aging process. Nevertheless, the correct
prosthetic management of the condition, either with
hearing aids or maskers, and counseling by appropri-
ate professionals, can do a great deal to alleviate the
effects of both tinnitus and hearing impairment.
MORE ABOUT GINGKO BILOBA
by Robert Brummett, Ph.D., Oregon Hearing Research
Center
The studies published to date that support the efficacy
of Gingko biloba for the treatment of hearing loss and/or
tinnitus are not very convincing. While some of the
papers report statistically significant results, it is extreme-
ly difficult to ascertain how the study was conducted.
Part of this problem is the fact that all of the studies are
in French or German and the problem is mine in that
I cannot properly read the entire study.
I do have an English translation of the German arti-
cle by Professor Sprenger. The paper was difficult to
understand even when translated, but I agree with the
comments made by Dr. Jonathan Hazell. In addition,
I would like to point out the improvements in hearing
were extremely moderate. For example, it is stated that
"the auditory threshold was found to be raised by at
least 10 dB in 28% of the cases and in one of them
by more than 20 dB; in 31% of our patients increases
between 5 and ~ 0 dB were obtained. In 40% the ther-
(Continued from page 3)
apy was unsuccessful, or deteriorated slightly over the
mean frequency range." It is not clear at which frequen-
cies the changes occurred. It appears that only the fre-
quency region from 500 through 3000 Hz was studied.
It is generally accepted that auditory thresholds from
test to test will vary 5 dB. Therefore, if at the first test
you were +5 dB and the subsequent test was -5 dB,
the difference would be 10 dB. Therefore, it would be
expected that a 10 dB change would be within the ex-
perimental error to be expected. It has been my ex-
perience that changes of 15 or even 20 dB are normal.
It appears to me that the data reported by Professor
Sprenger falls within test retest differences that would
be expected. The only way to determine if this is the
case would be to conduct an experiment where some
of the patients receive a medication that looks exactly
- eXffaeftablets except tfiat 1t does not
contain the actual extract. Such a preparation is called
a placebo or a "sugar pill."
The Gingko biloba extract is a vasodilator. Such a
drug is one that causes blood vessels to dilate, and the
expectation is that the end result will be an increased
blood flow to the area where the vasodilation occurs.
I have read some articles that describe vasodilation due
to Gingko biloba extract, but none that specifically re-
late to vasodilation within the inner ear.
In the past, many vasodilator drugs have been report-
ed to be beneficial in the treatment of hearing loss and/or
tinnitus. However, when the drugs were tested in care-
fully controlled experiments, the results have been dis-
appointing.
It is possible that vasodilation could be helpful in an
ear that was suffering from an inadequate supply of
blood to the extent that its function was impaired. How-
ever, there is little evidence to support the contention
that impaired vascular supply is the cause of very many
hearing losses. In many cases of hearing loss, the end
result is that hair cells in the inner ear are lost. Once
these hair cells have died, they cannot be regenerat-
ed. In fact, because of the extremely complex organi-
zation of the inner ear hair cell, it is doubtful if meaningful
hearing could result even if hair cells could be regener-
ated. They would need to be arranged in the inner ear
so that they could be stimulated by sound.
Personally, I have not seen anyone who has benefit-
THE TAX REFORM ACT OF 1986
How does this new law affect you?
ed from this drug. However, I have the drug that was
given me by Betty Mathis of the Portland ATA Tinnitus
Self-Help Group. It was given to her by a tinnitus sufferer
who had obtained it and tried it for tinnitus relief. The
individual had no tinnitus relief and the drug made her
sick to her stomach. It is my opinion that at the present
time there is insufficient evidence that the Gingko ex-
tracts are useful for the relief of hearing loss and/or tin-
nitus to justify its use.
Dear Readers,
Tinnitus can make life miserable at times-but you
already know that.
What you may not know is that help is now available
for millions of tinnitus sufferers and that because of on-
going research mar1y more will be able to be helpe.Q__
in the future.
Join us-won't you? All we are asking you to do is
send in your donation to the American Tinnitus Associ-
ation. With your membership you will be kept abreast
of the latest developments to help combat tinnitus. We'll
also be advising you about different ways of coping for
those cases presently resisting treatment.
With your contribution we will be able to continue
research projects currently underway and agressively
seek new ones. Many tinnitus sufferers are already help
ing by having. joined ATA, but some like yourself
weren't able to contribute to an earlier request. Please
help now.
You know what your symptoms are and maybe even
understand how to cope with them to avoid the extra
stress-but millions don't. Help us to help them.
Choose the membership category that best suits you
and your desire to fight tinnitus. Send in your check
today and we will send you a tax-deductible receipt. You
will also continue to receive the ATA Newsleuer.
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
P.S. Without your help and that of fellow tinnitus
sufferers we will not be able to help the millions of
Americans who don't understand the head noises they
have or what to do about them. We thank you again.
Many professional advisors are recommending that taxpayers take as many deductions (including making the
largest possible gifts) this year instead of next because those gifts will generate a larger tax saving in 1986 than
in 1987. If you are thinking about making a gift to ATA the time remaining in 1986 provides a valuable opportunity
to take advantage of savings that won't be ava1lable in future years. Charitable deductions have survived the tax
reform law but many people who formerly itemized deductions wi ll find it no longer to their advantage to do so.
Your tax advisor or other professional planner can help you to decide what form your contribution should take.
Cash gifts are most popular but remember that ATA can also accept gifts of securities with the possible advan-
tage to you of avoiding payment of capital gain tax.
4
Instructions for Making This
FOLD-A-WPE ENVEWPE
1. Detach FOLD-A-LOPE Envelope at perforation.
2. Fill out membership application on back of envelope
3. Check appropriate category for membership
4. Enclose application with contribution in center of envelope
5. Fold sides of envelope over on dotted lines
6. Fold bottom of envelope to line "Nt
7. Fold top of envelope to line "Bu
8. Single staplet tapet or glue envelope securely along edges
9. Afix postage and mail to: American Tinnitus Association
P.O. Box 5
Portlandt Oregon 97207
THIRD INTERNATIONAL TINNITUS SEMINAR
June 1113, 1987, Muenster, W. Germany
Line A
The organizing committee headed by chairman, Harald
Feldmann, M.D. are planning a meeting of scientists who
will be presenting papers on subjects relating to tinnitus
research. Topics will include:
etiology and pathophysiology of tinnitus
models of tinnitus
- acoustic emissions
psychoacoustic masking phenomena
-evaluation of tinnitus parameters
- diagnosis and classification
treatment by maskers
electrical stimulation
- treatment by drugs
TINNITUS BOOK NOW AVAILABLE
The American Tinnitus Association offers the Pro-
ceedings of the 2nd International Tinnitus Seminar,
New York, NY, June 10-12, 1983.
62 Papers - 323 pages
MECHANICS:
facts & theories
DIAGNOSIS
TREATMENT:
psychological
medical
surgical
suppression with electrical stimulation
biofeedback
ference should make inquiry of: Secretariate ENT Depart-
ORDER NOW - SPECIAL CLOSEOUT PRICE
$17.50 U.S. FUNDS
POSTPAID IN THE U.S.
ADD $2.50 U.S. FUNDS
FOR POSTAGE OUTSIDE U.S.
1
1
~ : ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ t r : : ~ : ~ : t further information about the con-
! ment, Univ. of Muenster, Kardinai-Von-Galen-Ring 10, PREPAID ORDERS ONLY: check to:
4400 Muenster, WEST GERMANY ATA. P.O. Box 5, Portland, OR 97207
j I
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We have been hearing from a number of read-
ers asking about the Tinnitus Inhibitor that Dr.
Vernon described in the September ATA
NEWSLETIER. For your convenience here is
the address:
I Colin F. Kemp
I Box 99 PO.
I Beecroft N.S.W. 2119
I AUSTRALIA
! ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
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For those of you who have been asking about
the MCR tapes for relaxation and aid in coping
with tinnitus that were described in the Sep-
tember ATA NEWSLETIER these are available
from:
Associated Hearing Instruments, Inc.
6796 Market Street
Upper Darby, PA 19082
(215) 528-5222
9
ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO SUPPORT
TINNITUS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
0 $15 OR MORE CONTRIBUTING MEMBER
D $50 OR MORE SUSTAINING MEMBER
0 $25 OR MORE SUPPORTING MEMBER
0 $100 OR MORE SPONSOR MEMBER
Optional: _ __ ! wish my gift to be in memory of
___ I wish my gift to be in honor of _________ _
Please notify the following of this memorial or honor gift: Please send my receipt for tax purposes to:
Name Your name ___ _________ _
Address Address ------- ------ -
City _____ State _ _ ___ Zip __ _ City ___ __ State _____ Zip _ _ _
31::13H
df'IV'lS
3:)\lld
Line 8
LO"GL6 80 '0 N'VllCIOd
s xos od
NOil'VIOOSS'V SnliNNil N'V0183V'J'V
THANK YOU . .... .
A receipt for your tax deductible
contribution will be mailed to you.
Single staple, tape or glue envelope closed
------------------- ---Here-- ---------------------
TINNITUS, PAST, PRESENT
AND FUTURE
by Jefferey C. Mcilwain, FRCS, Senior Registrar Otolaryn-
gology to the National Health Service in North Ireland.
Or. Mcilwain is presently at the University of Toronto, On-
tario. Canada as the Conacher Laryngeal Research
Fellow.
Tinnitus can be a distressing condition to those peo-
ple, of whom there are many, who have it. It is a recog-
nised symptom of several otological diseases including
the degeneration of the inner ear associated with age.
Much remains to explain the pathophysiology (or
" mechanics" ) of tinnitus and reasons have not been
found to explain why those who perceive the sounds,
do so. Always in counseling sufferers it is important to
stress that it is not a mental illness nor an hallucination,
but part of the usual pathological processes in certain
ear diseases.
Much thought has been given to the generation of
the sound from an "electrical" basis. In the 1950's Da-
vis believed in an electrical "leakiness" in the hair cells
of the inner ear, so there was a constant electrical dis-
charge. By the 1970's views were held, to the relation
of the rate of firing of nerve fibres in the auditory sys-
tem. Correlations were made with the Gate Theory of
Pain such that there may be electronic "gates" which
modify the final signal received by the brain. Other views
contended that there was an ionic imbalance within the
inner ear fluids causing a mini "electrical storm" within
the inner ear.
More recently, complicated hypotheses have come
to light in an attempt to give an "electrical" cause. Meller
in 1984 in an excellent review of the pathophysiology
of tinnitus highlighted the fact that the capacity of the
auditory system to correlate the time pattern between
nerve fibre discharges, and that of natural sound. may
be the reason the brain can perceive sound centrally
rather than at the peripheral level of the ear. There would
need to be a locking together of the time phases to
achieve this. There is definite evidence from other dis-
eases of the Central Nervous System that "short-
ci rcuiting" can occur between nerve fibres when the
protective myelin coat is damaged, however it is uncer-
tain if this holds true for tinnitus.
Medical treatments have been based on an electri-
cal stabilization of the nerve fibres by local anaesthetic
agents such as lidocaine by Melding. On the basis of
this various similarly acting agents taken orally have
been tried, Carbamezipine by Shea and others. and
more recently Tocainide, all of which have had frequent
disappointments or intolerable side effects.
Further investigations along this theme have looked
at neurotransmitter chemicals in the auditory system.
Klinke 1981 postulated that Glutaumic Acid (GLU) may
be an active agent and on the basis of this, Ehren berger
and Brix in 1983 devised a method of managing tinni-
tus with GLU and its antagonist Glutaumic Acid Di Eth-
ly Esterase (GDEE), both safe non toxic agents. Using
these intravenous infusions they reported some en-
couraging results, so that a pilot study was conducted
at the Royal Victoria Hospital , Belfast, N. Ireland, in a
simplified manner: An analysis of the results showed that
7
7 out of 21 patients reported a degree of improvement
subjectively, however on objective testing this became
6 out of 21. Although this figure of approximately one
third improvement is encouraging, the more meaning-
ful result to the patient though, was the duration. Tem-
porary partial benefit, i.e. greater than 6 weeks, was only
achieved in 2 out of 21 patients. It was not possible to
be conclusive, therefore, in identification of a definite
group of patients who might improve.
From both studies, the future must be toward a large
controlled trial from one of the major otological groups,
to assess the realities of this method of management,
before a definite answer can be given whether this is
a justifiable approach. It is disheartening to be unable
to produce a definite cause and treatment, yet research
will continue to strive, despite setbacks, to attempt reso-
lution to the problem. Present management largely in-
volves counseling and reassurance as outlined above.
The motivation of the patient to accept the problem is
paramount, and therapies such as biofeedback and
maskers have a place in present strategies, however,
it is not the purpose of this work to comment on this.
Research with support from patients by donations in-
cluding that of temporal bones will always attempt to
bring hope for the many who suffer.
IN MEMORIAM, FRANCIS SOOY, M.D., SAN
FRANCISCO, CA
We are sad to report the tragic death of Francis Sooy,
M.D. whose private plane crashed on September 12,
1986. Dr. Sooy was an ATA advisor for many years and
will be fondly remembered by his many patients and
friends. His contributions to the field of otolaryngology
were extensive and he held office in and was honored by
many professional organizations. Among these was the
distinction of being a Senior Counselor of the American
Board of Otolaryngology. ATA readers will no doubt
remember the interview that Dr. Sooy gave about tinnitus
on public television a few years ago.
(The following Jetter gives us an insight to the relation-
ship he had with his patients.)
If I could stop weeping long enough, perhaps I could tell
you what a truly caring and wonderful person was Dr. Fran-
cis Adrian Sooy.
I first met Dr. Sooy about 38 years ago when, as he
would remind me in later years, "we both had black hair." I
had been a patient of his for a number of years when he
told me about a new procedure (surgical) that he thought
might possibly restore my failing hearing but warned me
that the odds were 50-50. I decided on the surgery, hoping
that I would fall into the right "50". I didn't. and Or. Sooy,
with the tenderest, kindest expression on his face, said,
" I'm so sorry. If ever there is a better procedure I will call
you."
Two years later he called me to tell me of a procedure
that was 97% sure and recommended that I have it done.
He himself performed the surgery and restored my hearing.
I have made trips from Portl and to San Francisco for the
sole purpose of having Or. Sooy treat me for any ear ail-
ment because that man was not only the most outstanding
otolaryngologist but also a charming, gracious, under-
standing human being.
My heart weeps.
-Gertrude Lewis
The ATA tribute fund is designated 100% for research.
Thank you to all those people listed below tor sharing
your memorable occasions in this helpful way. Contri-
butions are tax deductible and will be promptly ac-
knowledged with an appropriate card for the occasion.
The gift amount is never disclosed.
In Memory of
Edwa1d C. Stearns. Jr
Boston, Massachusetts
In Memory of
Clara Helm
Hanry Zetsel
Martha Aim
CMrles SeciS$1
Slella
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In Honor of
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Susan A. Rectcw
The ATA NEWSLETTER is published quarterly and mailed directly to ATA
contributors and hearing health care professionals throughout the
world.
Circulation is 145,000.
Editor: Gloria E. Reich
Circulation Manager: Patricia Daggett
Articles submitted for possible publication should be typewritten,
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length is 1000 words or less. Articles are selected tor editing and
publication with the help of the ATA scientific advisory board.
For more information write to:
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P.O. Box 5, Portland, OR 97207
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PLEASE MAIL ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.
Birthday
Robert
James P Doyle
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Joseph G Alam

Mary Mal1ner's 66th
St!l\180 MIChael Stone
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Graduation
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Engagement
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Patr\cta LeF8'V8re
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J Alam & T. Drucker
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J Alam & T Drucker
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