506 
ANALYSIS OF CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
tions, we may at present mention, are characterised by 
granulo-adipose degeneration of the wall of the vessel. 
The evolution of this morbid state having been accom- 
plished, cicatrisation begins ; but at first it is very imperfect 
and difficult, and it is only completed after great efforts and 
sudden changes. 
There is to be remarked an important fact which affords 
its own explanation : the period of definitive cicatrisation 
coincides with the manifestations of the following pheno- 
mena: — partial return of sensibility in the affected limb ; period 
of reparation of the muscular and nervous tissue , and the cessation 
of epileptiform attacks , when there are any. 
The following are the marked periods of the principal 
phases in the alterations which have been alluded to : — 
The commencement, as we have said, was clearly mani- 
fested from the fifth to the eighth day. In a guinea-pig, 
the section of the sciatic nerve having been made on the 
9th May, the general necrobiotic process was completed on 
the 3rd July, when it was shown to the Society; but the 
alteration was already very marked in the second half of 
June. Cicatrisation, which began in August, was achieved 
on the 18th September. So that in this instance the entire 
period was four months. 
M. Brown-Sequard^s rabbit had the sciatic nerve divided 
on the 25th February, 1869. On the 7th August, when it 
was sent to us, we noticed very apparent modifications of 
the cutaneous and pilous systems; and, in addition, the com- 
mencement of separation of the extremity of the large toe. 
On the 22nd there was complete amputation of this toe ; 
the small toe was attacked and the claw almost destroyed, 
and there was inter-digital ulceration. September lith, all 
the toes were denuded, and the phalanges exposed ; there was 
also osseous necrosis, and circular and ascending ulceration ; 
the wound was easily made to bleed. On the 20th Sep- 
tember the foot was a veritable claw ( griffe ). From October, 
efforts at cicatrisation, which are still in operation. In this 
animal, then, we observed the change after the fourth month, 
but in our opinion it had begun before that period ; it had 
reached its apogee in the course of the sixth month, and 
was in process of cicatrisation in the seventh. There w as a 
real difference in point of time with the guinea-pigs, but this 
is easily explained by the dissimilarity in the strength and 
constitutional vigour of these animals. 
In a future paper w r e wull study, comparatively, the same 
alterations in cases of ligature of this nerve and section of 
the spinal cord . 
