116 
HYDATIDS IN THE BRAIN— HEIFER. 
a circle as she walked, unless she met with an invincible obsta- 
cle ; and then, after resting a few minutes, she would all at once, 
and with a violent effort, free herself from it, and resume her 
travels. Every day the circle diminished, until, at length, we 
were compelled to shut her up in the stable. 
The owner perceiving how rapidly she was losing condition, 
urged me to attempt the operation. The kindness of his manner 
scarcely gave me sufficient confidence, and, day by day, I 
sounded the cranium, hoping to find a soft spot. At length, 
the respite which I had obtained, expired ; the animal now 
refused all food — it continued to turn day and night — and it 
could not exist much longer in such a state. 
Oct. 30 th . — She was cast on her left side, and secured, and 
her head was raised by means of a truss of hay. A portion of 
the skin, two inches and a half long and two inches wide, in 
the form of a heart, with the apex placed inferiorly, corres- 
ponding with the right lobe of the brain, and comprising chiefly 
the frontal bone, and about an inch of the parietal, was raised 
by means of a convex bistoury, and turned back towards the 
base of the horn. The periosteum was much reddened. 1 then 
made a circular opening as large as a hard (farthing) through the 
frontal bone, by means of a double-edged currier’s knife, not 
being at that time in possession of a trephine, and elevated the 
bone by means of a scalpel and a spatula. 
The first thing that I observed was the membranes perfectly 
black, at that place. On lightly exploring them with the point 
of a probe I recognized a vesicular body, which was pressing 
upward, with some force, against the opening I had made. 
It entered into and occupied the. opening ; but its bulk not per- 
mitting it to pass, and the edges of the bone being irregular 
and sharp, it was torn, and a transparent serous fluid escaped. 
I immediately seized the vesicle with a pair of dissection forceps, 
and, it now containing only a small quantity of fluid, it was 
readily drawn out from the cranial cavity. Some of the fluid, 
however, remaining in the place which had been occupied by 
the vesicle, I inclined the head of the heifer in order that it 
might flow out. The whole quantity of fluid which the worm 
contained was estimated at more than six ounces. 
The extraction of the parasite, and the removal of the fluid 
from the cranial cavity, having occupied a considerable time, 
I began to fear that the presence of the air in contact with the 
membranes of the brain, and with the brain itself, might produce 
inflammation intense and difficult to combat. I hastened to cover 
the opening with the portion of skin which I had detached, and 
1 placed over it an adhesive plaister. The heifer was loosened 
