277 
of Edinburgh, Session 1870-7 i. 
last class may be mentioned his diminishing the frequency of 
amputations , and substituting excision instead, whereby many a 
person now retains an arm or a leg, which surgeons previously 
bad been in the habit of cutting off. The like good effect followed 
from his discovery, that the formation of bone was due to the perios¬ 
teum. His treatment of aneurisms was very successful. He had 
an almost instinctive faculty in discerning the true character of 
tumours, of which one example, not generally known, may be 
mentioned. A Scotch nobleman was suffering from polypus in the 
nose. He had consulted the most eminent surgeons in Paris and 
London. In both of these capitals he received the same opinion, 
that the tumour being of the malignant type, it could not be ex¬ 
tracted with any probability of saving life. Some of this nobleman’s 
friends suggested a visit to Edinburgh, to obtain Professor Syme’s 
opinion. He accordingly came here, and a consultation took place. 
Mr Syme thought the tumour not malignant, and he gave an 
opinion that it might be radically extirpated. The operation was 
performed, and with complete success. The nobleman alluded to 
is now alive, and in good health. 
Syme’s manner was reserved and sometimes abrupt to his patients, 
of which the following anecdote, related to me the other day by a 
medical friend, is an illustration. A landed proprietor in Nor¬ 
thumberland had been thrown out of his dog-cart, and was so 
severely bruised that he feared his shoulder had been dislocated. 
His medical attendant had a doubt about it. He therefore resolved 
to go at once to Edinburgh that Syme might see it. At the hour 
appointed he called on Syme, and was shown into a room where 
the Professor was standing before the fire. As the gentleman 
advanced, Syme bowed stiffly, but did not speak. The gentleman, 
who was lame from gout,—as he hobbled into the room, by way of 
beginning conversation, intimated that he was very gouty, on 
which Syme said, “ If that’s all that’s the matter with you, you 
need not come to me; I don’t cure gout.” The gentleman next 
said, u But I think my shoulder is dislocated, and I want you to 
examine it, if you will help me off with my coat.” Syme replied, 
“I need do nothing of the kind;—your shoulder is not dislocated. 
Take my word for that. I don’t need to see it.” The decided 
tone in which Syme spoke, so impressed the old gentleman that 
