462 PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1747-8, 



where the adhesion of this body to the peritonaeum appeared to be, and avoiding 

 to make the external wound larger than absolutely needful, lest the omentum 

 and guts should fall out ; and particularly lest the suppuration should exceed the 

 strength of nature, which was here already nearly exhausted. 



A large opening was now made, but the fetus being closely enveloped by its 

 containing sac, the doctor durst not venture to draw it out by force, for fear 

 8ome of the naked bones might lacerate the internal parts : therefore dilating 

 this sac with the point of a pair of probe-scissars, directed by the fingers of the 

 left hand, he pierced and cut in pieces the skull, which afterwards he extracted 

 piece-meal. 



The matter that first issued out had a very nauseous smell, and consisted of 

 membranes, fat, and corrupted flesh. On opening the cranium, the cerebrum 

 appeared of its natural colour. The operation having been long, and the woman 

 fainting away, the wound was dressed, without attempting to extract more at 

 that time. In the evening she was taken with vomitings ; but by proper inter- 

 nal medicines, and flannel stoups wrung out of hot wine, applied over the whole 

 belly, and often renewed, she found ease, and got better. The loss of blood, 

 during the whole operation, was inconsiderable. 



Next day the bones of the trunk, and most of the other large ones, with their 

 ligaments and rotten flesh, were taken out. The matter discharged for several 

 days was of a dark-brown colour, occasioned by blood issuing from the dilated 

 pores of the internal surface of the sac, which rendered the matter at first of a 

 deep-red colour ; but that changed daily and gradually, till at last it became 

 white. The doctor imagines this discharge to resemble the lochia after child- 

 birth ; for after the fetus was extracted, the woman's breasts swelled, and gave 

 milk in plenty for 2 months, in quantity, colour, and consistence, as if after de- 

 livery at the proper time. 



TTie doctor examined this sac very diligently with his fingers, while thin, and 

 not contracted, but formed into wrinkles, through which he felt the rectum, the 

 vesica urinaria, and, as he thought, the fundus uteri. Many small bones lay in 

 the folds ; but, as she complained not of pain, they were left till the suppuration 

 began, excepting those the sac in contracting itself threw out. 



Besides fomentations, balsamics, proper bandages, &c. vulnerary detergent 

 injections were found very usefiil, thrown in in large quantities, both to wash 

 out the putrid flesh, and bring away the scales of bones which were still con- 

 cealed in the folds of this sac. 



The sac contracted itself daily, grew smooth and white within, and narrower 

 as it approached the uterus, which gave reason to believe it one of the Fallopian 

 tubes. 



