232 



Dr. W. Macewen. 



[May 19, 



IV. " Observations concerning Transplantation of Bone. Illus- 

 trated by a Case of Inter-human Osseous Transplantation, 

 whereby over two-thirds of the Shaft of a Humerus was 

 restored." By W. MACEWEN, M.D. Communicated by Pro- 

 fessor Huxley, Sec. R.S. Received May 3, 1881. 



Facts previously recorded regarding Transplantation of Bone. 



Facts relating to attempted osseous transplantations are few, the 

 details concerning them are meagre, and the deductions drawn there- 

 from have been received with dubiety. 



Re-implanted Portions of Bone. — First there are statements to the 

 effect that portions of the skull elevated by the trephine having been 

 replaced shortly after their removal have become again incorporated 

 with and formed integral parts of the osseous walls. Other observers* 

 construe these facts differently. They say that the re-implanted 

 portions of bone have become absorbed, and that they have been re- 

 placed by deposits of fresh osseous matter. On the side of the former 

 Flour ens adds the weight of his testimony, believing that he has 

 demonstratedf the vitality of the re-implanted portions of bone in the 

 skull of a guinea-pig. 



Periosteal Transplantation in Bower Animals. — Oilier has systemati- 

 cally endeavoured to transplant periosteum, and though in one instance 

 he has demonstrated the possibility of successfully transplanting peri- 

 osteum, and producing permanent bone-growth therefrom, yet most 

 of the grafts either failed at once or having produced certain osseous 

 spicules were then slowly absorbed. J 



Osseous Transplants in Bower Animals — Osseous transplants were 

 also tried by Oilier, who convinced himself of the success of grafts 

 placed under the skin, and in regions to which ossification was 



* C'est la du moins la reflexion que fait Wagner siu' les faits de Mei'rein, Wiess- 

 mann, Waltlier, Klencke, Heine, qui lui paraissaient incertains. — " Regeneration des 

 Os," par Oilier, vol. i, p. 420. 



f Flourens gives the above and other somewhat similar facts in the " Comptes 

 Rendus" de l'lnstitut, Aout 8, 1859. 



% " . . . Nous avons pu constater au bout de trois ans, sur un lap in, la per- 

 sistance d'un anneau osseux que nous avions forme autour des muscles profondes de 

 la jambe en transplantant un lambeau de perioste pris sur la jambe du cote oppose." 

 — Oilier, loc. cit., vol. i, p. 413. 



"Nous avons vu souvent chez le lapin, le chien, le chat et d'autres animaux, des 

 lambeaux periostiques ou medullaires se durcir d'abord, prendre meme une consis- 

 tence osseuse, et se resorber ensuite peu a peu. En exaniinant alors le lieu de la 

 transplantation au bout de trois ou quatre mois, on ne trouvait plus rien, ou bien 

 seulement au petit noyau fibreux en voie de disparaitre." — Oilier, loc. cit., vol. i, 

 p. 412. 



