io8 Animal Morphology. 



at that or some neighbouring spot, when the matter has, 

 like leaven, in neighbouring structures turned more to 

 matter ; but in bone no such thing. The annoying little speck 

 of bone has not been removed, and though for one or two 

 days the outer ulcer on the skin appears as if it would 

 heal, yet month passes over by month, till at last the dead 

 portion comes away ; and not till then will it heal, and that 

 soundly in a day or two. 



The question recurred and recurred, again and again, Why 

 so much sympathy for bone in the integument, as compared 

 with other structures ? 



Compound fractures illustrated the same matter, but then, 

 as the late Mr. Skey has said in the Lancet for August, 1870, 

 that the bruising and contusion of the surrounding parts in 

 the fractured bone lowered vital integrity, and so greatly 

 prolonged recovery. But a case occurred in 1865 that set 

 this view at rest, and carried with it a strong conviction 

 that between the integument and bone there was some basis 

 of sympathy more than we yet fully understood. 



The same had been observed in many other diseases of a 

 chronic nature, the sympathies of which were more deeply 

 seated than anything the nervous system could explain, and 

 of a more decidedly vital character. 



But, without further entering upon practical and patho- 

 logical matters, the case will be briefly given. 



F. B., aet. 34, in February, 1865, had a furunculus in the 

 right thigh, about the middle, from which in due time a 

 core came away, and then healed. In May he had a second 

 one higher up, and somewhat below the trochanter major, 

 but more posteriorly ; from this a large core came, and was 

 in process of healing, and he at work again, though in 

 removing furniture he left the heavier work to his men. 



Before it was entirely healed, and when removing 

 furniture, he gave a helping hand to some very heavy 



