84 REPORT—1845 
Matteucci, Galvani and others, as showing that the elements necessary, for the pro- 
duction of electric currents exist in animals even where there is no special organiza~ 
tion, as in the torpedo, &e. 
The author concluded by adverting to the importance of further investigation in 
relation to this subject, since the healthy performance of all the important functions 
of the anima! ceconomy are dependent upon it. 
On a new mode of Suture, applicable to Plastie Operations. 
By Cuarces Brooks, M.B., F.R.C.S.E. 
The inconvenience frequently experienced by surgeons in the application of the 
ordinary modes of suture is that of the stitches cutting through, and therefore failing 
to keep in contact the parts to be united. In this, the improvement consists in placing 
two smooth, flat glass beads on the ends of the ligature and securing them by knots, 
by which the parts may be held together as long as may be required without any 
tendency to produce irritation or ulceration. The mode of application may be thus 
explained :—A piece of ligature silk with a knot on one end is doubled, and the loop 
passed through a bead. A needle of suitable form, having a notch near the point, is 
then passed through the sides of the fissure to be united; the loop of the ligature is 
then placed in the notch and the needle retracted, bringing the loop with it. A second 
bead is then placed on the loop, which is afterwards divided; the two threads being 
now separate, a knot is tied on the end of that one which has no knot at the other end, 
and by drawing the two free ends of the threads, the parts intervening may be brought 
into close contact, and may be maintained in that position by placing knots on the 
free ends, close to the beads, and thus preventing the latter from receding from each 
other; at the same time the portions of integument intervening between the beads 
are not subjected to any pressure whatever. : 
For external application of the suture, a needle slightly curved at the point is most 
suitable. For internal application, when the direction of the edges to be united co- 
incides with that of the handle of the instrument, as in a longitudinal fissure in the 
vagina, a spirally-curved needle is requisite: when the direction of the edges is 
nearly perpendicular to that of the instrument, as in the posterior part of a cleft 
palate, or a transverse fissure in the vagina, a moveable needle is most suitable. The 
principal difficulty attending the internal application of the bead suture, has been the 
placing the last knots close to the beads, to prevent their receding from each other : 
this may however be effected by a small conoidal roller at the extremity of a handle, 
on which the loop forming the knot is placed, and carried on to any required point ; 
it is then tightened by a little fork attached to this instrument, wide enough to receive 
the thread only.. By these means any number of knots may with facility be placed 
on the same thread close to each other, when entirely out of reach of the fingers. 
In order to render the description of the operation complete, it must be remarked, 
that in the application of external sutures, as in cases of hare-lip, it is generally found 
desirable to pare the edges with the scalpel, and union by first intention will probably 
be obtained: in internal sutures, the edges will be much more easily and evenly 
pared by lightly touching them with potassa fusa, and the needle immediately ap- 
plied, without waiting for the separation of the superficial slough. To the latter mode 
of treatment it may be objected, that union can thus be obtained by granulation only ; 
this is not however an objection of any validity, as it is the peculiar property of this 
suture to hold the parts in contact until sufficient time has elapsed to render the union 
by granulation complete. A detail of the cases illustrating the advantages of the bead 
suture will be more suitable for a purely medical publication. 
On the Communicating Fibres of the Brain in reference to Thought and 
Action. By Tuomas Laycock, M.D. 
Dr. Laycock stated, that he considered those views correct which looked on the brain 
as an extensive periphery of nervous matter, analogous to that on the surface of the 
body. On this periphery sensorial changes are excited, first, by incident excitor im- 
pressions derived from without—the external periphery; secondly, by impressions — 
derived from other portions of the brain—the internal periphery. There was thus a 
set of intercommunicating fibrils between all parts of each symmetrical half of the 
