V A R 



V A R 



incifion of the veins is effefted. Thus the wound of the 

 internal parts is placed under the moft favourable circum- 

 Ilances for being healed, and the patient avoids the more 

 tedious proccfs, vsfhich is neceflary for the cicatrization of a 

 wound in the dun above. 



" For this operation, I have generally employed a narrow 

 Iharp-pointed biftoury, flightly curved, with its cutting- 

 edge on the convex fide. Having afcertained the precife 

 fituation of the vein, or clufter of veins, from which the 

 diftrefs of the patient appears principally to arife, I intro- 

 duce the point of the biftoury through the fkin on one 

 fide of the varix, and pafs it on between the (Icin and the 

 vein, with one of the flat furfaces turned forwards, and the 

 other backwards, until it reaches the oppofite fide. I then 

 turn the cutting.edge of the biftoury backwards, and in 

 withdrawing the inftrument, the divifion of the varix is ef- 

 fedled. The patient experiences pain, which is occafionally 

 fevere, but fubfides in the courfe of a (hort time. There 

 is always hemorrhage, which would be often profufe if 

 negleiled, but which is readily ftopped by a moderate 

 prefTure, made by means of a comprefs and bandage care- 

 fully applied." Mr. Brodie particularly enjoins the necef- 

 fity of keeping the patient quietly in bed for four or five 

 days after the operation, and removing the bandage and 

 firft dreflings with the utmoft care and gentlenefs. He 

 alfo cautions furgeons not to make the incifion more deeply 

 than abfolutely neceflary. Inflammation of the coats of the 

 veins has not occurred in any of the cafes in which 

 Mr. Brodie has adopted this method of treatment. This 

 gentleman wiflies it to be underftood, however, that he does 

 not recommend the praftice indifcriminately, but with a 

 due attention to the circumftances of each individual cafe. 

 " The cafes for which it is fitted, are not thofe in which 

 the Teins of the leg generally are varicofe, or in which 

 the patient has little or no inconvenience from the complaint ; 

 but thofe in which there is confiderable pain referred to 

 a particular varix ; or in which hemorrhage is liable to 

 take place from the giving way of the dilated veflels ; or 

 in which they occafion an irritable and obftinate varicofe 

 ulcer." See Medico-Chir. Tranf. vol. vii. p. 195, et feq. 



On the fubjeft of cutting through veins affefted with 

 varix, it is proper to obferve, that even this plan has been 

 known to bring on fevere and fatal fymptoms. Cafes con- 

 firming this faft are recorded in a valuable modern work, 

 ■which fliould be in the hands of every praftical furgeon. ( See 

 Hodgfon's Treatife on the Difeafes of Arteries and Veins, 

 p. 555, et feq.) It is but juftice to ftate, however, that 

 in thefe examples, Mr. Brodie's manner of doing the oper- 

 ation was not adopted. 



As we have already noticed, cafes of fpontaneous varix in 

 the veins of the arm are rarely obferved. When thefe 

 Tcflels become varicofe, it is almoft always in confequence 

 of a communication being formed, in the operation of vene- 

 feAion, between the brachial artery and one of the veins at 

 the bend of the arm. The fuperficial veins in this fituation 

 then become more or lefs dilated by the impulfe of the 

 ftream of arterial blood which is thrown into them. There 

 is, however, a good deal of difference between thofe acci- 

 dental varices aftually induced by a mechanical caufe, and 

 thofe which originate fpontaneoufly, or from caufes not 

 very clearly underftood. The former never acquire the fize 

 which the latter often attain ; they never exceed a certain 

 magnitude, whether preflure be employed or not ; they 

 never form tumours compofed of an aflemblage of varicofe 

 veins ; they are never filled with tough coagula of blood ; 

 their coats are never thickened, nor conftitute the folid 

 half canal remarked in the other fpecies of varices ; the 



flcin which covers them is not difpofed to inflame and ul- 

 cerate ; they are not fubjeift to occafional hemorrhage ; and 

 the limb is not afl^eded with any oedematous Iwelling. 

 (See Delpech Traite des Maladies Chir. torn. iii. p. 261.) 

 Thefe circumftances muft render it fufficiently evident that 

 all furgical interference in fnch a cafe would be entirely 

 unneceflary. 



For additional obfervations connefted with the fubjeft of 

 varicofe veins, fee the article Aneurism, where the aneu- 

 rifmal varix is defcribed ; Cirsocble, where the varix of tlie 

 fpermatic cord is treated of; Hemorrhoids, where the 

 difeafed and enlarged veins of the reftum are confidered ; and 

 Varicocele, where thofe of the fcrotum are noticed. Del- 

 pech Precis Elementaire des Maladies reputees Chirurgi- 

 cales, torn. iii. Hodgfon's Treatife on the Difeafes of 

 Arteries and Veins. Cooper's Diftionary of Praftical 

 Surgery. 



Varicose Ulcer. See the preceding article, and Ulcers. 



Varicose, or l^arkoui, a term applied to a kind of 

 foft puffy fwelling, or particular fort of ulcer in animals, 

 moftly about the legs. See Ulcers, in Animals. 



VARICULA, (diminutive oi •varix,) in Surgery, a vari- 

 cofe enlargement and dilatation of the veins of the tunica 

 conjunftiva of the eye ; a frequent confequence of chronic 

 ophthalmy. 



VARJEAS, in Geography, a town of Portugal, in the 

 province of Beira ; 14 miles S.E. of Lamego. 



VARIEGATED Leaves, in Botany and Fegeiable 

 Phyfiology, folia ■variegaia, or more properly vartata, are 

 fuch as are irregularly blotched with white or yellow, con- 

 fl;ituting a variety, for the moft part permanent, and which 

 is not uncommon in feveral fpecies of fhrubs, trees, or herbs. 

 The white variegation is moft ufually feen in Elder, fome 

 kinds of Elm, Round-leaved Mint, or Mentha rotundifoUa, 

 and Striped Grafs, or Phalarls arundinacea ; the yellow one 

 in Jafmine, White Lily, and in many evergreens, as Holly, 

 Rhamnus yllaternus, Phittyrea latifolia, Aucuba japonica, and 

 many others. We have feen an accidental, very beautiful, 

 fpecimen, in Rumex obtujifolius, but it was not permanent. A 

 romantic garden, among fome very uncommon and whimfical 

 rocks at Plumpton, near Harrowgate, was originally planted 

 with nothing but variegated fhrubs, of every fpecies that 

 could be procured. It might have delighted a Chinefe, 

 but the efFeft was not pifturefque. 



This change in the colour of leaves, more or lefs extended 

 occafionally to the reft of the herbage, can be confidered 

 but as a fort of difeafe. The plants affefted with it are 

 much more tender, and difScult of cultivation, than in their 

 natural ftate, as well as lefs luxuriant ; witnefs jintlrrhinum 

 Cymbalaria, Fritillarla imperialis, and many others. Varie- 

 gated Oaks are rare, and fickly. We do not recoUeft to 

 have feen any Willow in this ftate, nor any Cherry, Plum, 

 Currant, or Goofeberry. The Holly affumes different 

 fhades of yellow, fometimes accompanied with pink. 

 Prunus Lauro-ceraftis now and then puts forth an entirely 

 white or colourlefs fhoot, and we have feveral times met 

 with the fame circumftance in Rofa canina, but we do not 

 know that either of thefe fhrubs is permanently variegated. 



The caufe of thefe blotches in leaves is probably among 

 thofe fecrets of Nature, hardly, if ever, to be difcovered. 

 That it muft confift in fome quality of the foil, in which 

 the original flock vegetated, is a probable conjefture, but 

 no more. The variety commonly continues unimpaired, in 

 offsets or cuttings from this original ftock, in whatever foil 

 they may be planted. Neverthelefs, a fhrub thus marked, 

 or difeafed, will now and then, from luxuriance of health, 

 return to the priltine and natural verdure of its fpecies, 

 4 L 2 making 



