What caused Juliette Gordon Low's ear infections?

Juliette Gordon Low suffered from chronic ear infections. At the age of 25, Juliette persuaded the doctor to try an experimental treatment for ear infections, an injection of silver nitrate. This treatment damaged her ear, causing her to lose a great deal of her hearing in that ear.

On her wedding day, a piece of rice became lodged in Juliette's other ear. Since Juliette was leaving on her honeymoon, she did not want to take the time to see a doctor. The rice festered in her ear and became infected so that, by the time she finally went to a doctor, the instrument used to remove the rice made her deaf in that ear.