CALCULOUS AFFECTION. 
165 
still further backwards, a large oblong swelling, almost as large as 
the bladder, and appearing to form one body with it, containing the 
tumour. 
Although we were unable to determine at all the direction taken 
by the canal of the urethra on arriving at the pelvis, and it was 
also impossible for us to form any definite judgment regarding the 
nature of the tumour, which we believed to be a calculus, and 
although we could not determine its seat, we resolved with one con- 
sent to attempt an operation, which was, however, postponed until 
the morrow, the animal being much fatigued by the experiments 
we had made, with a view of throwing light upon our diagnostic. 
I shall now proceed to state the actual seat and nature of the 
tumour — the modus operandi put in force in order to extract it — 
the consecutive accidents which produced death ; and, lastly, the 
organic alterations which a post-mortem examination brought to 
view. 
Every thing being prepared for the operation, on the 24th of 
August, at 10 A.M., a large quantity of warm water was thrown 
into and retained in the urinary passages, in order to distend them. 
This precaution being taken, the animal was fixed and maintained 
in an upright position, supported against a stall. I then, in the 
presence of Messrs. Bouley, made an incision of about eight centi- 
metres in diameter on the right side of the canal of the urethra, 
below the ischial curve. The water that had been injected spouted 
out violently, and at the same moment I recognized the presence 
of a large calculus, which I could both see and feel, and which 
appeared to me situated in a large swelling of the pelvic portion of 
the urethra. Considering that the incision which I had already 
made was not large enough, I prolonged it, at first downwards 
and then upwards as high as the sphincter ani, without, however, 
touching it, and thus making the incision about twelve centime- 
tres in length. I next endeavoured to extract the stone with the 
aid of a pair of common forceps ; but either the shafts of the in- 
strument were not strong enough, or else the artificial opening in 
the urethra was too narrow to admit of the calculus passing 
through it. 
As it appeared physically impossible to extract it in this man- 
ner, after having consulted together, it was agreed that an attempt 
should be made to break the stone. Not having the proper litho- 
tric instruments at hand, we were obliged to contrive substitutes 
for them, and the following suggested themselves to us. One of 
the operators introduced his left hand into the rectum, drew the 
calculus backwards on the edge of the ischium, and, bringing it in 
contact with the opening which we had made, held it firmly in 
this position ; the other two operators (of which I was one) armed 
