LUSUS NATURE. 
407 
ficial. In some cases advantage has resulted from the ex¬ 
hibition of the bicarbonate of potash to the ewes, after the 
use of a saline aperient. 
THE APPLICATION OF DRY EARTH TO 
FISTULOUS WOUNDS. 
Mr. G. a. Oliphant, V.S., Royal Artillery, writes us that, 
having observed an extract from the Lancet in our last 
issue, respecting the application of ^ dry eartlF to wounds, 
and having recently given trial to it, he sends a short notice 
of the case.^^ About a month ago Mr. Oliphant was induced, 
at the suggestion of a medical friend, and also, as he says, 
having had experience of the use of dry earth for sanitary 
purposes in India, to give trial to the agent in a long stand¬ 
ing case of ‘‘ poll evil,^^ in which only partial success had 
resulted from his previous treatment. After a few days^ 
application of the earth, the discharge, which was before thin, 
dark-coloured and foetid, became less in quantity, more of the 
character of laudable pus, and perfectly inodorous. The 
wound also began to fill with healthy granulations.^^ 
Although the cure is not yet complete, Mr. Oliphant has 
every reason to hope that such will soon be effected. 
LUSUS NATURiE.—DOUBLE-HEADED CALF. 
Mr. W. Wilson, Broughton, Lancashire, has forwarded to 
us the upper part of the neck of a foetal calf with two heads at¬ 
tached to it. The heads are of equal size, and closely resemble 
each other. They are fully developed. Mr. Wilson writes 
that the presentation was a breech one, and that delivery could 
not be effected until the greater part of the foetus was re¬ 
moved by dissection. He further says that this is the fourth 
case of the kind which he has met with during twenty-five 
years’ practice. The first calf was delivered alive, but only 
survived about half an hour. The two next were born dead; 
and this one had to be cut away. Generally the heads are 
unequal in size, but in this case they are a beautiful pair ” 
An examination of the vertebrae showed that, with the 
exception of the atlas and dentata, tlie bones were of natural 
shape. The dentata did not much differ from the normal 
