548 SYNOPSIS OF CONTINENTAL VETERINARY JOURNALS. 
mencing tubercular deposits in the lungs.” The autopsy of 
the second subject, which survived four months after the 
inoculation, and which succumbed to its effects in a 
state of very advanced tuberculosis, showed diseased 
action “ which had involved the lymphatic glands, lungs, 
kidneys, pleurae, pericardium, meninges, tendinous syno¬ 
vial sheaths, bones, muscles, and even the skin.” Here 
are all the characteristic phenomena of a successful 
inoculation, which seem conclusive as to the inoculability of 
tuberculosis, at least from rabbit to rabbit. On no point did 
the experiment fail in accuracy. The inoculated matter 
proved its activity by germination, its extremely small 
quantity became extremely large in the organism into 
which it had been inserted ; in multiplying it had given rise 
to general disturbance of the system, and, finally, to death. 
If we compare this positive and well-supported result 
with similar ones such as experimentation has already pro¬ 
duced, notably in the hands of MM. Villemin, Chauveau, 
and Saint Cyr, it will seem difficult not to allow in tuber¬ 
culous matteUthe special activity which belongs to contagious 
matter in general, the power of proliferation and dissemina¬ 
tion, a property which no doubt varies according to the species 
of animal, according to the stage of the disease, and to the 
time which has elapsed since the death of the animal from 
which the matter for inoculation was taken. Experiments 
ought to be undertaken to throw a light on these conditions. 
Review of Journals from Revue Veterinaire de Toulouse , 
June, 1879 .—“ A modification of the received method of per¬ 
formance of CEsophagotomy.” Under this heading we read 
in the number of the Archives Veterinaires for £5th April 
a case of obstruction in the calf necessitating cesophagotomy. 
As often occurs in such cases, the wound resulting from the 
operation did not heal readily, and the animal had to be 
destroyed. This misadventure suggested to M. Tardinon, 
veterinary surgeon of Chantelle (Allier), the idea of modi¬ 
fying cesophagotomy in the following manner: 
“ After the first stage of the operation I arrive at the time 
when we must isolate the oesophagus and keep it out; in 
place of cutting through the two tunics, would it not be 
preferable to make use of a cutting instrument, of the size of a 
suture needle, for example, with which to pierce to the middle 
of the potato, for that, generally, is the obstructing body, and 
divide it into two or more parts by cutting ? Thus, without 
being taken out, it would be rendered capable of traversing 
the rest of the oesophagus and entering the stomach without 
giving rise to any further accident. The small opening in 
