626 SYNOPSIS OF VETERINARY CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
in man, in other cases being evidence of a tendency to 
recurrence to original type, cases of the former class must be 
extremely rare, we are not aware that this view has ever 
before been adduced in explanation of equine polydactylism. 
We have read with interest a communication byM.Mathieu 
to the members of the Societe Centrale, at their sitting of 
8th May, 1879. “ I wish to speak of a character possessed 
by most of our breeds of dogs, whether long haired or short 
haired. Seven small cutaneous eminences, of which six are 
disposed symmetrically in pairs, three on the right three on 
the left, on the side of the head of dogs and bitches, while 
the seventh occurs at the middle of the intermaxillary 
interval. From these small cutaneous eminences, which I 
will designate under the name appendages, emerge very 
long stiff hairs, similar to those which occur on the skin of 
the lips. The first pair of these small appendages (the 
superior) is situated above the eyes, of which they consti¬ 
tute imperfect eyebrows, placed somewhat near the median 
line. The second or middle pair occurs on the level of the 
posterior part of the zygomatic arch, the third on each side 
corresponds to the last molar. I have pointed out above the 
position of the seventh. These small eminences, which vary 
in size from that of a small to that of a large lentil, convey 
to the finger on pressure the sensation of hard and resisting 
points adherent to the skin. Sometimes the small promi¬ 
nence of the skin scarcely exists; it is then replaced by one 
or more long and stiff hairs; sometimes it differs in colour 
from that of the rest of the integument of the animal. The 
series of seven appendages is rarely incomplete; are we to 
consider these eminences as ornaments surmounted by long 
hairs, which specially serve to forewarn the animal of any 
closely neighbouring body ? We deem these seven small 
bodies special organs of touch.’ 5 At the same meeting was 
an interesting discussion on the subject of <f Torsion of the 
Cervical Region.” M. Nocard read a paper on the subject, 
terming it simply “ Sprain of the Neck,” and suggesting a 
new method of treatment. We give his own words:—Elec¬ 
trisation lasted for five days without appreciable result when 
I consulted M. H. Bouley concerning my patient, who said, 
c<r Here is a horse who requires a left lateral cervical liga¬ 
ment ; why don’t you give him an artificial one ?” The 
idea seemed to me as rational as ingenious, and I hastened 
to put it into practice as follows. A tube of caoutchouc 
of the diameter used for purposes of continual irrigation 
was stretched between the head and the trunk. I fixed 
it in front at the summit of the poll, sufficiently protected 
