DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
445 
name can hardly be referred to in polite society into a useful 
household pet, is certainly not valueless. It might be well to 
mention that the odoriferous fluid of the skunk is not its urine, 
or connected in any way with its urinary apparatus, but is se¬ 
creted by two enormously developed follicles situated in the 
rectum (in the lateral walls), and which empty their contents 
through two large papillae located on each side and just inside 
of the anus. The glands ( follicles ) are no more or less than 
well developed anal glands found in all carnivora. The pa¬ 
pillae are brought to view by an inversion of the anus, which 
cannot be done without the animal raising or curling its tail ; 
and the follicles are covered with well developed muscles over 
which the animal has perfect control, and which are strong 
enough to eject its stream for a distance of three to four metres. 
The technique of the operation is as follows : the animal if 
tame can be deprived of its apparatus without the annoyance 
of smell by preventing it from curling its tail over its back ; 
but, if wild it will surely give vent to its wrath while being 
caught. In any event, when caught the tail must be kept in a 
straight line with the body. The surgeon brings the papilla 
to view by inverting the anus (which is very large) with the 
fingers, and each papilla is grasped with a strong artery forceps 
which will prevent the ejection of fluid ; first, one pair of for¬ 
ceps is taken up and a circular incision is made through the 
mucous membrane around the base of the papilla, and with 
gentle traction the pear-shaped pouch is brought to the surface 
without further ceremony ; the opposite one is treated in the 
same manner, which leaves two small surgical wounds from which 
the patient shows no perceptible inconvenience. A remarkable 
point in the anatomy of the organ is its loose attachment to the 
surrounding structures. When the mucous membrane at the 
base of the papilla is incised no other adhesions prevent the 
follicle from coming out easily.—(Z, A. M.) 
The successful surgeon is the one that adopts the simplest 
and plainest methods to accomplish his purpose. He who has 
perfected his operative methods, so that they are as practical in 
an ill-constructed, inconvenient stable, as in a well equipped 
hospital, and performs his operations with neatness and alacrity 
instead of making them long, bloody, tedious procedures, and 
who can with the instruments of his pocket case, do as well as 
with an instrument agent’s paraphernalia, is a practical surgeon ; 
and does as much to advance science as the surgeon that de¬ 
mands a well equipped operating room, and magnifies the 
