SYNOPSIS OF CONTINENTAL VETERINARY JOURNALS. 161 
wounds I replace the waxed thread in general use with a 
thread of caoutchouc of the same size, slightly stretched. 
It is imputrescible , gives constant pressure to the lips of the 
wound, yields to pressure from congestive swelling; in a 
word, adapts itself to all variations in the form of the part. 
I have tried many threads, and prefer the tubes of English 
sheet material, of the diameter of 7 to 8 mm. (about J in.); 
it is firm, very elastic, and can be easily tied, either in a fixed 
or slip knot. 
Journal de Medecine Veterinaire et de Zootechnie .— 
“ Notes on puncture with aspiration in veterinary practice,” 
by M. Chenier.— Summary : — Dr. Dieulafoy has placed in 
our hands, as “capillary puncture with aspiration,” a simple 
but valuable means of diagnosis which is accurate and abso¬ 
lutely harmless. The puncture produced is so small as to be 
painless, and not to allow ingress of the air and the serious 
consequences which supervene thereupon. Opening a 
fluctuating tumour by the hot iron or bistoury is open to 
the objection that it produces inflammation, may injure im¬ 
portant vessels, and will admit air freely into the cavity, 
which therefore takes a longer time to heal. The ordinary 
trochar is preferable to these latter methods, but entails often 
haemorrhage, inflammation, and subsequent infiltrations of 
the tissues. Pneumatic aspiration leads to none of these ill- 
effects ; and also, since the fluid contents of the tumours are 
drawn away, pressure and other manipulations necessary in 
other methods of operation are here avoided. 
I. As a means of diagnosis this method is valuable in 
in cases where effusion is suspected, of presumed purulent 
collection, or doubtful hernia. It not only shows the pre¬ 
sence of liquid, but also the nature of the contained fluid, and 
thus by rendering diagnosis sure leads to suitable treatment. 
But it is perhaps most useful in localised and deeply seated 
collections. The ordinary trochar may, in such cases, give 
false indications, since it may pass beyond the collection, 
and no rush of liquid follow withdrawal from the canula. 
Dr. Dieulafoy recommends the following method of per¬ 
formance of the operation:—The boring needle is passed 
through the integument, it is then fitted to the body of the 
pump, which has been previously rendered a vacuum, either 
directly or by means of a caoutchouc-tube joint. The cor¬ 
responding spout of the aspirator being then opened the 
needle is driven little by little through the tissues until its 
ready passage shows that it has entered the cavity which we 
seek to penetrate. As soon as the orifice of the needle meets 
the liquid the latter rapidly enters the instrument, where its 
