of the urethra which had been destroyed. 305 
within outwards. This disposition to form new skin was 
so remarkable, as to excite the surprize of several gentlemen 
who witnessed it, and appeared to arise from the moist state 
in which the parts were constantly kept.* 
In the summer of 1820, the man had recovered from his 
cutaneous affection, and his general health was so much im- 
proved, that he resolved to submit to a second operation. In 
this attempt I borrowed integuments from the opposite side 
to that I had taken them from in my first. A deep groove 
was made on the right side, the surface was denuded of its 
cutis to some extent, a considerable portion of integument 
was then detached from the left side, and, in order to obtain 
healthy skin, I encroached a little on the thigh, and laid bare 
the edge of the fascia lata. Instead of passing any ligature 
through the detached portion, the old quiil suture was em- 
ployed, which was passed from the two outer cut surfaces. A 
pad of adhesive plaster was interposed between the ligatures 
and the flap of skin, to diffuse the pressure more generally ; 
and my patient, being now quite an adept in passing the 
catheter, was directed to introduce it about three times in 
the twenty-four hours, instead of retaining it in the bladder, 
* In corroboration of this, I have lately employed bread and water poultices to 
healthy sores, which have skinned over with greater rapidity than under any other 
application. Since making these experiments, 1 have learnt that Professor Kern, 
of Vienna, employs no other local remedy in the cure of ulcers, than water and a 
simple covering of linen. It is a curious fact, that in the sixteenth century, when 
the art of surgery was encumbered with useless nostrums and complicated instru- 
ments, and when the actual cautery and hot oils were the favourite remedies, that a 
similar simplicity of treatment should have been employed by Maistre Doublet, 
a contemporary of Ambrose Parey, of whom Brantome tells us, 
“ Et toutes ses cures faisoit le dit Doublet par un simple linge blanc et belle eau 
simple de la fontaine ou des puits.” 
