below and outside of Poupart's ligament, determined him to postpone the exploration a few days.

On the second day of May, we again saw the patient together, and found the swelling in the iliac region much reduced, but increased and spreading outward below Poupart's ligament, with indistinct fluctuation below the anterior spinous process of the ilium; the inflammation now involving the femoral vessels, the spermatic chord and testicles of the right side; the pain was intense. It was determined to await further developments, and a poultice was ordered to the part, with an opiate, to be given internally often enough to keep the patient quiet.

On the 5th of May the fluctuation became distinct about half way between the anterior spinous process of the ilium and the great trochanter, and I opened it, and fully a half pint of pus was discharged.

We hoped we were then rid of the trouble, and our patient of the suffering, for his general health soon commenced to improve and the local inflammation subsided, but the abscess was not disposed to heal. He so far recovered his strength as to return to his occupation (car building,) by the latter part of June, though the fistulous opening continued to discharge, in spite of our efforts to heal it by injections of infusion of cinchona, tr. of iodine, etc. As he was able to follow his business, and suffered very little inconvenience from the sore, during the fall and winter of 1855-1856, I lost sight of the case until some time in the spring of 1856, he said, on meeting me, that his fistula had healed up.

On the 12th of July, 1856, he again sent for me, was confined to his room with an inflammation about the hip, joint of the right side. I found evidences of the formation of an abscess in front of the trochanter, near where it had been opened before.

Flaxseed poultices were applied, and in four or five days fluctuation became distinct. I then determined to make a free incision through which I could examine the parts by touch. This incision was made about two inches in length, and while holding a basin to receive the pus, I observed a lump of something fall into the basin, which I took out and washed, finding it to be a bone about five-eighths of an inch long, having an articular surface at one end and tapering to a sharp point at the other. It had much the appearance of the last phalanx of the finger except that it was not so flat and more pointed and regular in shape. The examination I sought by a large incision became unnecces

sary, the bone discovered being a satisfactory explanation for the long continued irritation. The patient rapidly recovered, the wound healing readily and perfectly.

Mr. K is still living, a healthy and able-bodied man, and I believe served his country as a soldier during four years

of the recent war.

Our comparative anatomy, with the aid of several medical friends, for a long time failed to name the troublesome bone, or to discover to what animal it belonged, but finally, by accident, I noticed a fac simile of it on a plate, where some one had been eating a pig's foot. On comparison, I found the two exactly the same, except that our first specimen was colored black by our iodine injections.

Our conclusions were that our subject had swallowed the bone, that it had lodged about the commencement of the duodenum, and sloughed its way through its coats, producing the symptoms of inflamed liver, our attention being at the time directed to that organ by the habits of the man. That it travelled down the right side of the abdominal wall, producing in its course the evidences of inflammation of the right kidney, thence following the internal oblique and cremaster muscles and Poupart's ligament, finding a lodgment in the cellular tissue, under the facial lata of the thigh, and would have probably been dislodged in opening the first abscess, if as free an incision had been made as in the second.

Dr. F. G. Schmidt reported the following cases in practice: CASE I. EMBOLI OF SUBCLAVIAN.-W. K. Attention called to his condition suddenly, May 15th, 1868, by finding a partial paresis of right arm on attempting to use it. Saw him at 9 o'clock A. M., and at 11; he suffered terribly with pain of whole arm; promptly relieved by 15 grs. Dover pulv., contrary to usage; arm dressed in cotton, and afterwards warm, aromatic poultices were applied; pulseless on affected side; pulse about 40 on the opposite side. Camphor and wine were given internally until pulse became normal. Examination proved valvular disease of bicuspid valve of heart. Temperature of the arm greatly reduced gradually, slowly returning to its healthy standard. Pulsation could be felt on the right side on the 10th of July. The only derangement of nutrition observed for several months, was

exhibited in a deformity of the nails. With the same suddenness, a like emboli, with similar attendant conditions, occurred in the radial artery of the left arm, during the subsequent autumn, since when the patient has been absent in Europe, and as learned from private correspondence, is in a fair degree of health.

CASE II. EMBOLI OF RIGHt Femoral.—Mr. G. K——————————. This case was not originally my own, but was called in consultation. Saw him first on the 2nd of Feb., ult. Found right leg gangrenous, and the gangrene had commenced on right toe about thirty-six hours before my visit. Pulse very frequent, indicating the hectic condition, with dry tongue and other evidences of depressed conditions. The patient only lived until the morning of the fifth. This case also commenced suddenly, with some pain of the toe, at the desquamating period of variola; also suffering bicuspid affection of the heart at the same time; pulselessness and other evident proofs of embolism were present.

CASE III. DIABETES INSIPIDUS. At first interview found the patient anemic, having been a subject of syphilitic taint previ ously of decided character; passing twelve quarts of water every twenty-four hours. Knowing this syphilitic feature of the history, treated her consequently with proto-iodide of Mercury, and, at the same time a preparation of iron. The urine being tested, proved the absence of sugar, hence a diabetes insipidus. Thirst was terribly excessive. Having treated the patient this way for several months, she has so far recovered, that she only passes two pints of water in the twenty-four hours. Menstruation having been arrested during the progress of the case for a long period is now restored, and the general health improved.

CASE IV. STAPHYLOMA CORNE.-On the 29th April, 1868, called to see the child of Mrs. L- -, found total staphyloma of cornea, with infiltration, so that the cornea is opaque; transparency entirely destroyed, and surface of the cornea had a number of blood vessels. The case had been treated up to this date with local applications of acet. plumbi by the preceding physician. The treatment prescribed by me was local application of solution of atropine and morph. sulph combined, and when pain of the temples and os frontis existed, leeches were applied. Quinia was also given whenever the pain appeared to be intermit

tent, otherwise narcotics only were administered. The transparency of the cornea gradually returned, gradually diminishing the dimensions of the staphyloma, and the vascularity diminishing until on the 6th of June, 1868, the cornea had arrived at its normal condition. The vision, which was totally absent when I took charge of the case, at the above date, was entirely restored in June.

Hospital Reports.

CINCINNATI HOSPITAL.

Service of W. H. MUSSEY, M. D.

Reported By A. GUTHRIE, M. D., Resident Physican.

CARBOLIC ACID IN SURGERY.

Compound Comminuted Fracture of Left Leg.

CASE I.-H. W.- thirty one years of age; German; admitted February 16, 1868. While attempting to turn a horse which he was leading, was struck by a street car, knocked down, and the front wheel passed over his left leg, near the centre, producing compound comminated fracture. When admitted was fairly fortified against pain by the ingestion of alcohol, and a stoical disposition, health previously having been good. Upper fragment protruded about two inches; there were numerous splinters and fragments of broken bones; orifice of integument was about two inches long and one wide. From this severe injury there was considerable hemorrhage. A portion of the protruding bone was removed by the bone-lance forceps, the splinters extracted, the leg suspended in a wire splint, and heavy extension by weight acting through a pulley, and the fragment gradually subsided within the wound of integument. Calvert's pure carbolic acid was thoroughly applied to the wound, which was then covered with lint, and it was likewise saturated with the acid after it was filled with blood. Cold water dressing was applied to the limb, and patient given an anodyne at night. The above mentioned application of lint together with the

oozing blood, formed a scab, so to speak, and thus protected the wound, and was not removed until March 23. During the first two days there was a slight discharge of bloody serum, and subsequently of pus, from beneath the scab. The carbolic acid was applied to the lint twice daily for several days, then was diluted one half with glycerine.

Subsequent to this the strength of the acid was gradually diminished, and the wound was sufficiently healed to allow the application of the starch bandage on the 4th of May, and on July 3d. was discharged well.

Compound Fracture of Left Tibia.

CASE II.-C. B——, aged twenty-four; admitted March 20. Three days ago, while grading a lot, a bank of earth fell on him, contusing his foot, and producing a compound fracture of middle third of left tibia. Previous health, good. When admitted there was but little symptomatic fever, compound fracture of tibia in above mentioned site, external wound about one inch in diameter, no loss of bone substance, and not much hemorrhage. Leg was suspended in wire splint, and wound injected twice daily with a solution of carbolic acid gtt.xxx. to the 3i., and cold water dress sing applied to limb, and anodyne at night.

Free suppuration was established in this case, and continued for over a month, but at length the wound began to heal, and he was discharged on the 18th of July, nearly well.

There is but little doubt that the suppuration would either have been prevented or greatly diminished, and a more speedy recovery secured to the patient had the carbolic acid been used at the first and subseduent dressings, previous to his admission to the hospital.

CASE III.-J. S.aged forty-seven; German; admitted March 19. While at work in a rollng mill had his arm caught in a wheel, and before he could extricate it, his elbow was severely crushed. He was immediately brought to the hospital, and on examination his arm was found in the following condition: There was a wound over inner condyle of humerus, about two inches in length, and the adjacent tissues were severely con. tused. The fore-arm and arm were both shortened anteriorly, and the olecranon process projected unnaturally behind; fore