Dripping poison into someones ear...

[sandyRoe]

Hamlet's father was murdered using this method. Is it an efficacious method of administering poison?

[bookbinder]

According to this website, ummmm, a perforated eardrum can sometimes heal on its own:
http://www.webmd.boot...-a-perforated-eardrum

[Sqad]

Depends......if it is due to trauma (clip around the ear or as the result of an explosion) then 80% will heal without treatment.

If following ONE episode of middle ear infection, the eardrum bursts, then it will certainly heal without surgical intervention.

If however, the infections recur, then the perforation will not heal without surgery.

[ummmm]

How painful is it?

[Sqad]

ummmm.....how painful is what?

[sandyRoe]

Ummm, it would probably depend on what sort of poison it was. ;-)

[bookbinder]

How painful? Very, according to a woman that I used to know. She told me that she had had a bad earache for some days, so phoned the GP to make an appointment. Whilst she was on the phone, her eardrum burst, and she was screaming with the pain for several minutes.

[ummmm]

Thanks :-)

[Sqad]

bookbinder....that is unusual.

The pain is worse before the eardrum bursts and when it does......there is instant relief.

Also middle ear infections in adults are quite uncommon....more likely that she had a boil which burst.

[McMouse]

VX nerve gas in liquid form is not recommended for removing ear wax. Death is guaranteed.

[wolf63]

There are quite a few poisons that are absorbed through the skin so I would have thought that pouring one of these substances into a person's ear canal would cause it to be absorbed into the person's system.

http://www.ehow.com/h...adly-poison-list.html

If you are planning on doing anything illegal sandyRoe please scrub your computer memory before the police arrive. ;-)

[Ratty2E]

As a child I suffered many middle ear infections and I can attest to the fact that they can be excruciating. So painful infact that I used to bang my head against the wall with the pain (which probably explains alot). I have suffered a few infections as an adult also and I have had a perforated ear drum on more than one occasion but as far as I know they healed.