[97] segments but little movement was possible; the contraction 

 of the muscles merely brought out the constriction between 

 the two portions more plainly. Between the middle and 

 distal segments the movement was considerable. The latter 

 could be drawn in sharply, telescoping the middle segment, 

 and at the same time flexion to the left side took place. 

 During this action the middle segment became much shorter 

 and thicker. 



When the child was about six months old the tail was 

 removed by Dr. Watson." The amputated appendage was 

 put immediately into Zenker's fluid to harden. After it had 

 been washed and kept in strong alcohol for some time it 

 measured 5.3 cm. in length. It was then cut into four pieces 

 with a sharp razor, and the pieces were imbedded in celloidin. 

 Cross sections were cut at three different levels, near the 

 base, proximal to the second joint, and near to the tip, as is 

 indicated in Fig. 4. After a few transverse sections were 

 cut off, the pieces were stuck together and reimbedded in 

 ' celloidin for the purpose of cutting longitudinal sections of 

 the whole. 



From the study of sections it is seen that the skin covering 

 the whole of the tail except a limited area on the ventral sur- 

 [98] face is of normal structure. The layers of the epidermis are 

 easily distinguishable. The thickness of the skin varies some- 

 what. Near the base of the tail on the ventral side it is 

 found to be quite 2 mm. thick, while on the dorsal surface of 

 the same portion it is scarcely 1.5 mm. Further out, i. e. at 

 the middle cut (Fig. 4, a), there is the same difference in 

 thickness between skin of the ventral and dorsal surface 

 (Fig. 5), although the skin is here not quite so thick as at 

 the base. Near the tip the thickness throughout the whole 



[97] It seemed advisable to remove the tail, not only in order to accede 

 to the wishes of the child's parents, who regarded its presence with 

 chagrin, hut also on more practical grounds. It looked as if the tail 

 might become the seat of a troublesome intertrigo. Besides, its rate of 

 growth was considerable, and it did not seem unlikely that the 

 appendage might have later attained undue proportions, causing, as has 

 been reported in several instances, considerable inconvenience in sitting. 

 (See Lissner: Virchow's Archiv, Bd. 99, 1885. 



(6) 



