88 
EDITORIAL. 
pins by Mr. Calve. He has resorted to three methods of opera¬ 
tion : (i) By obtaining cutaneous cicatricial bandage only, in . 
removing a flap of skin on either side some io or 15 centimeters 
wide, and sewing the edges together. The cicatrix forms a 
compressing bandage. This method has given him only doubt¬ 
ful results. (2) By obtaining a double cicatricial bandage , by 
excising a flap of skin as in the first case and also one from 
the cellulo-aponeurotic coat which separates the skin from the 
synovial tumor. The aponeurosis is sewed up with catgut and 
the skin with hairs of Pflorence. Out of four cases, three gave 
him quite satisfactory results, a marked reduction in the size of 
the synovial enlargement. (3) By a third method, the experi¬ 
ment was carried in, involving the walls of the synovial sac with 
the excision of the aponeurosis and of the skin covering, it not 
in excision but in the cicatricial pressure. In other words, by 
suture of a portion of the synovial pouch itself The first two 
layers were incised as mentioned before, and then the synovial 
tumor carefully punctured. The synovia escapes, the mem¬ 
branous sac shrinks and becomes flabby, and then raised with a 
broad pair of forceps, when suture is made of its walls, involving 
a certain thickness of a.fold of the serous. Sutures of the 
aponeurosis and of the skin are applied over it. Performed on 
two subjects, one gave excellent results, without complications, 
another died of lung trouble four days after the operation. 
Through the Clinica Veterinaria we are told of a large 
series of experiments made at Milan by Prof. A. Baldoni. His 
experiments, however, differ from those of his French cojifrere 
in being applied to chronic dropsy of tendinous sheaths (hygro¬ 
mas). His mode of treatment is more serious, the object being 
to obtain a radical cure. It consists in the dissection of the 
thickened infiltrated structure under the skin and also the re¬ 
moval of whatever portion of serous membrane can be extracted. 
The experiments were carried on upon one case of enormous 
ectasia of the sheath of the flexor of the phalanges, communi¬ 
cating with the tibio-tarsal joint, and containing a semi-floating 
body ; this animal had to be destroyed on account of the frac- 
