162 SYNOPSIS OF CONTINENTAL VETERINARY JOURNALS. 
presence and its distinctive character may be easily recog¬ 
nized, the walls of the pump being made of glass. The 
results of this procedure are not always satisfactory. Thus the 
needle may be obstructed at the moment when it pierces the 
cavity; this seldom occurs, fortunately so, for it may lead to 
very considerable error. 
II. As a surgical means .—The principal advantages which 
the method has over the ordinary trochar are—1st. The 
wounds produced are absolutely harmless. Thus, in human 
surgery, it has been used for puncture of most delicate 
organs and membranes, as the bladder, pericardium, and 
meninges of the brain. In theory, therefore, the puncture 
with the capillary trochar ought to be preferred to puncture 
by the ordinary trochar whenever it is necessary to remove 
any deposits by operation from organs or tissues very liable 
to inflammation; whenever the part operated upon has large 
and numerous vessels ; and whenever the liquid to be re¬ 
moved would act as an irritant on neighbouring tissues. 
2nd. As already noted, aspiration withdraws the tumour 
contents, preventing the necessity of forcible manipulation 
of the surface. 3rd. Pneumatic aspiration does not allow 
admission of air, an important point in thoracentesis, for 
example. 
III. Indications .—By no means definite, for so general is 
its usefulness that we must always have on hand some case 
where it may be applied with advantage. Thus, it is useful 
whenever, for example, it is necessary to produce the evacua¬ 
tion of a collection of fluid from a large or small serous cavity; 
whenever it is necessary to act surgically on important vis¬ 
cera, the spleen, for example; whenever it is necessary to 
puncture a deep-seated abscess in the parotidean region or 
other situations where are large vessels and highly organised 
tissues. In strangulated hernia too, it will render great 
service by allowing the easy, rapid, and dangerless evacuation 
of the fluid portions of the herniated loop of intestine, 
which constitute the greatest obstacle to return of the bowel 
by the taxis. Dieulafoy's apparatus may, with advantage, be 
substituted for the trochar and canula for the injection of 
medicinal agents into a closed cavity, since it drives no air 
in with the injection. The following is the method of ope¬ 
rating in such a case :—The sac being emptied by aspiration 
we close the tap corresponding to the needle and open the 
other one to remove the morbid fluid which has passed into 
the cavity of the pump. Then we, by raising the piston, 
introduce the injection fluid into the body of the pump. 
Then close the outer tap and open the one nearest the needle 
