ABSCESS.— UNNATURAL PARTURITION. 453 



soon as it is thrown out, by the sensation given to the fingers 

 of each hand called " fluctuation ; '^ that is to say, on pressing- 

 one side of the swelling with the left hand, the other side rises 

 beneath the fingers of the right, in an elastic waj', just as hap- 

 pens with a water-pillow, when pressure is made upon it. When, 

 therefore, this fluctuation is clearly made out, a lancet or knife 

 should be inserted, and made to cut its way out, so as to leave 

 a considerable opening, which should be so arranged as to let 

 the matter drain out at all times. This is what in surgery is 

 called a " depending " opening, the opposite plan allowing the 

 matter to remain in the abscess, which cannot therefore heal, 

 because its walls are separated, and the consequence is that a 

 sinus forms, which gives infinite trouble to get it well. Should 

 this sinus be established, the only plan is, either to lay it open by 

 slitting it up with a narrow knife, or by passing a probe or other 

 similar smooth body to the end, cutting down upon it, and then 

 inserting a few threads or a piece of tape, convert it into a seton, 

 which will either eat its way out, or after a time the threads may 

 be withdrawn and the sides unite. 



UNNATURAL PARTURITION. 



I have alluded to the management of healthy parturition at 

 page 196, but in this chapter I must say something of the proper 

 conduct to be observed where the process is disturbed by any 



