[ 134 J] 
their hands; this may be obferved in every mechanical trade or 
occupation ; but if we can render the inftruments fo fimple in 
their ftruQure that all’ difficulty.in working will be removed, we 
fhall thereby bring the performers more on an equality ; and as in 
‘the operation we have’been treating of, a cautious attention to 
avoid injuring the brain or its membranes is fo requifite, we can- 
not be too ferioufly on our guard. Though the bufinefs of tre- 
panning, fimply confidered, is no more than fawing a portion of 
the fkull, yet ‘that bufinefs, injudicioufly or incautioufly executed, 
may be the*caufe of putting an end to the life intended to be 
faved, or as John Woodall expreffes it, * “ A man may in a mo- 
«© ment be flaine by art, for want of art.” 
. In ufing either the trepan or trephine, force or preffure, for ob- 
vious reafons, fhould as much as poffible be avoided. We may 
obferve that a carpenter, in fawing, knows that if he -applies too 
much weight on his faw he will retard its progrefs , therefore he de- 
pends more on the dexterous manner of handling the faw than on 
his ftrength or the weight of his hand; and in thefe operations of 
furgery, which are merely mechanical, we fhould ‘not difdain to 
take inftruétions from the performance of thofe artifts from whom 
we have condefcended, in fome meafure, to ‘berrow the fafhion of 
our inftruments. The truth of what I have advanced every Sur- 
geon muft have perceived when ‘fawing through ‘the bone in ampu- 
tating, and a little experience will teach him, that he will fooner 
accomplifh the work by a proper adroitne{$ than by dint of force: 
or ftrength. 
"THE 
’ 
* Page are. 
