to some extent, and the vagina, rectum, and bladder remained in their normal positions.

She was dismissed on the tenth day and returned to the laborious duties of a mountain farmer's wife. She has been well two and a half years, without any tendency to recurrence of the prolapsus.

ABSCESS OF THE SPLEEN SUCCESSFULLY

TREATED BY ASPIRATION.

BY J. W. GRIGGS, M.D., WEST POINT, Ga.

Medical literature usually gives an insight into pathological conditions of the different organs in no uncertain. way. Often the subjects treated are at once exhaustive and satisfactory, but in regard to the caption of this monograph there is much yet to be learned, and it behooves each of us, controlled by the sturdy master "experience," to add our quota toward unraveling the mysteries surrounding this meagerly investigated organ. It is my intention to present to this Association a case which came under my care and was successfully treated in a conservative manner. It conclusively established opinions long entertained by the writer in reference to the management of affections of the spleen, drawn from a previous experience in the treatment of abscesses of the liver.

Wesley Wood, a youth of fourteen years of age, was taken suddenly ill, and a physician was called, who, upon ascertaining that the boy had been eating chestnuts, pronounced the affection acute indigestion. The usual remedies were instituted, and even before the febrile symptoms had entirely subsided he was dismissed as convalescent. A few days thereafter I was approached by the father of the boy, who insisted upon my going to see his son, saying that he was not doing well. Having always been the family physician, I consented. The boy presented an anxious appearance, hectic flush, temperature 104 degrees, respiration 30 per minute, very restless, slight tympanitis, tume

faction in region of the spleen; enough fluctuation to arouse suspicion of peri-splenic abscess. I remembered seeing the boy one year previous fall while playing at school. Frolicking with some of his fellows he fell across the sharp edge of a desk. I carefully considered this history and kept it in mind during the subsequent management of the case. Treatment inaugurated was based on general principles. About one week elapsed when decided fluctuation was manifest. I resolved to make an exploration, and for the purpose an aspirator was used. A medium-sized needle was most convenient, and over a quart of sero-pus was drawn off. In appearance it was oily and greenish, somewhat the color of bile. The patient slept well the night following; fever subsided; skin became moist and the anxious expression gave way to a hopeful issue of the case. This condition was, however, ephemeral; about the sixth day a reaccumulation became apparent. Meantime, I consulted with two of my special friends, highly skilled confrères in surgery; they counseled opening the abdomen and spleen and stitching the edges of the spleen to the outer opening, then packing with gauze and treating the case on aseptic principles, which was plausible and sustained by many noted. authorities on this and kindred subjects. However, I was resolved to do this as a "dernier ressort." About ten days

subsequent to the first operation I instituted a more heroic measure, in so much that in place of the medium needle, as before, I attached the trocar to the aspirator, thereby more thoroughly evacuating the fluid contained in the sac. Nearly two quarts of fluid were drawn off. The pus presented great degeneration. Could have been easily mistaken for pus incident to abscess of the liver. I took a specimen to a neighboring microscopist, but nothing was determined by which any positive results could be arrived at, as they were too hastily prepared to be serviceable. The patient began to have some appetite. Ordered supportive

ABSCESS OF THE SPLEEN SUCCESS

TREATED BY ASPIRATION

BY J. W. GRIGGS, M.D., WEST POI

Medical literature usually gives an logical conditions of the different or way. Often the subjects treated a and satisfactory, but in regard to tl graph there is much yet to be lear of us, controlled by the stur to add our quota toward unraveling this meagerly investigated to present to this Association care and was successfully tre It conclusively established writer in reference to the spleen, drawn from a pro of abscesses of the liver. Wesley Wood, a v taken suddenly ill, an ascertaining that the nounced the affect dies were institute had entirely sul A few days the the boy, who ins that he was not ily physician,

for proved

r examination, and I found gcondition:

arge and very much protruded,

e top, with a cavity just under the the urethra should have been. There

of sphincter muscle; no sign of urethra; sverse cavity just under the pubic bone about a quarter by half an inch wide.

Dia minora were very prominent and thick. The ajora very long and thin, with a "V"-shaped openat the top, extending nearly or quite through the mons eneris and separated from three quarters to one inch wide just in front of the pubic bone.

There was a small strip of bladder tissue lying on top of the vagina, and just under the pubic bone, on either side