ACEPHALOCYSTS. 229 



the violently irritated enveloping cyst must be only too ready to 

 continue secreting fluid, by which, therefore, the increase in 

 volume of the swelling is not prevented. Such medicaments, 

 like the employment of pressure, could only promise some results 

 in the earliest periods ; subsequently, and when the development 

 of the cyst has proceeded far, we probably produce the formation 

 of pus, a process which is never indifferent to the general or- 

 ganism, or, at the best, causes a partial reduction of the swelling 

 and a remission of certain symptoms, but never a cure. 



That an active surgical process is possible even in Echinococci 

 of the lungs is shown by Vigla's case. As the patient supported 

 the explorative puncture well, the half of the following fluid 

 (iodine, iodide of potassium, aa 3niss; alcohol, %v > distilled 

 water, 5 xv j) was injected and sucked out again with the syringe ; 

 the wound was then closed. In an hour an iodic intoxication was 

 produced, and lasted for several hours, when it disappeared ; the 

 heart approached the median line ; more resonance was present 

 under the collar-bones and in the left part of the chest, with 

 increased respiratory murmur, and in the course of several days 

 and weeks cellular respiration was set up. The movements of 

 the diaphragm appeared to go on equally well on both sides, and 

 the intercostal spaces exhibited mobility even on the right side, 

 although more strongly on the left. The heart beat in the 

 fourth and fifth intercostal spaces, a little outwards from the 

 nipple. In about a year nothing remained but a prominence of 

 the bony framework on the right side, and the patient had been 

 constantly at his business, but throughout the right side cellular 

 respiration was audible. 



Appendix. — Acephalocysts. 



These structures, which were introduced into science as long 

 ago as 1804 by Laennec, are independent animal organisms, 

 notwithstanding all the demonstrations made in opposition to this 

 view, especially by Siebold. I even allowed myself to be led away 

 for some time by Von Siebold's great authority, to assert the same 

 opinion ; but I am now converted from this view, in consequence 

 of my administrations of the eggs of Tcenice, and retract what I 

 said as to the non-independent animal nature of these structures 

 in a note in Vierordt's ( Archives/ Now however, we may be 



