Sir, - It was with great interest I read the report "Wilde's death is attributed to ear infection" (The Irish Times, November 24th). It is ironic to say the least that Oscar's famous father, Sir William Wilde, had the reputation of being the first teacher of aural surgery in the English-speaking world and doubly ironic that his operating method, "Wilde's incision" - i.e. a radical mastoidectomy - had become standard practice at least 30 years before Oscar died. - Yours, etc.,
Brendan V. Colgan, MB, DCH, FRCPI,[FFPM(UK), KM, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
