[ 125 |] 
of its fuddenly flipping in and injuring the brain or its meninges ; 
but then it is tedious, and divides the bone very flowly ; the faw 
does only fcrape the bone, the pronation and fupination of the 
wrift cannot give it quite half a circle, and it is impoflible to 
keep the hand fo exa¢t in its movement but the furrow or fulcus 
will be very uneven; in fhort, it is not only fatiguing to the 
operator but tirefome to the patient, efpecially if more than one 
perforation is to be made, which fometimes happens, as may be 
feen in * Dionis, when the operation of trepanning was repeated’ 
twelve times: on a young woman who had fallen: froma: ladder; 
by Meflrs. Marefehal and Dionis; with their two fons. + Mr. 
_ Gooch recites a cafe where thirteen perforations were made on 
-the fkull of an old man, who recovered. { Scultetus has given 
a cafe in which he made feven perforations round a depreflion, to 
difengage the fractured piece ; and a very eminent practitioner § 
of this city (while I am writing this) informs me, that very lately 
he made three perforations with the trephine, which he affured 
me was attended with very great fatigue. If neceflary, many like: - 
inftances might be produced. 
Tuoucu fawing the bone does not amount to pain, yet no 
doubt while that work is going on a difagreeable fenfation to the 
patient muft be excited; therefore the more expeditioufly it can’: 
be finifhed, confiftently with fafety, the better. 
Ik 
* Dionis, Demonftration 6, page 285. + Gooche’s Cafes, plate 1; page 1. 
t Scultetus, Obfervation 5, page 236. 
§ James Henthorn, Efq; Secretary to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. 
