G02 
EXCISION OF THE llIBS. 
or knives, of which the blade, concave on its cutting edge, was 
eight inches long and one inch wide. I brought them to a 
white heat, and then applied the cutting edge to the two ends of 
the rib which I wished to excise. I had previously taken care 
to adapt the concavity of the knife to the surface of the rib. 
By means of these knives, which were heated and applied again 
and again to the ends of the rib, I cut off more than an inch on 
each side, and was at length convinced, by careful examination 
of the wound, that every carious part had been removed. This 
operation, as may be imagined,was long and painful; but it was 
the only means that I could take to obviate the threatening evil, 
for I could not persuade myself of the possibility of using a 
knife of the common construction in such an operation. 
I brought the edges of the wound together by means of two 
sutures, and then dressed it with pledgets of tow covered with 
the common cerate, and I invested the whole with a thick and 
tight bandage. I also took away eight pounds of blood, and 
ordered a restricted diet, cooling medicine, and emollient in¬ 
jections. During the remainder of the day the animal was alto¬ 
gether dispirited, and there w'as considerable fever. 
^‘2dth .—There was a tumefaction, as large as a man’s head, 
over the wound, which was black, and exhaled a foetid smell: 
the respiration of the animal, how'ever, w^as more natural, and 
his spirits were evidently returning. The same regimen was 
continued, and the wound was covered with pledgets of tow 
soaked in a solution of chloride of lime, and renewed three 
times a day. 
**S0th .—The appearance of the wound was much improved, 
and the patient was eager to eat. The same dressings were 
applied, and, beside the mashes, a little hay allowed. 
‘‘315/. — The swelling has entirely disappeared, and the wound 
looks well. Dress with dry tow. 
“ Oct. 5th .—The superior extremity of the rib is covered with 
healthy granulations, and the progress of the caries seems to be 
quite arrested. The lower edge of the bone, however, has its 
extremity rugous and black, and it is covered with unhealthy 
granulations. I prolonged the incision inferiorly, and dissected 
away the fibrous tissues which covered the rib, and I found that 
the caries was here proceeding. I dressed the wound with 
Villate’s mixture. 
“8/A.—Seeing that the caries of the inferior extremity of the 
rib continued to progress, I determined on extracting this portion 
of it also. I made an incision four inches long in the direction 
of the rib, and carefully dissected away all the diseased tissues 
which surrounded it; and when I had completely isolated it, as 
