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The wide incision of malignant extracerebral tumors of the skin located at the middle line of the head is often associated with a problem of closing the emerged defect. Local tissues are not sufficient and the implementation of free plastic is not desirable due to the unfavorable conditions for the free flap survival, due to the features of the graft bed and the difficulty of immobilization and fixation of the flap. We have developed the method for closing the wound of the middle line of the head, which is based on the use of four adjacent symmetrical flaps. Flaps are cut in the directions of greatest mobility and elongation of the skin of the head, the movement of which is angled to the direction of the greatest elongation of the skin of the arch of the skull, taking into account the branching of the blood supplying (nourishing) branches of the superficial temporal arteries of the head. Due to the proposed method, it becomes possible to close the defect of the skin of the middle line of the head cosmetically and most aesthetically and at the earliest, taking into account the blood supply and areas of innervation of this damaged area of the head. The advantage of using four relatively small skin flaps on a wide basis, taking into account the areas of blood supply and innervation compared to one or two large rotary flaps is that the smaller length of the flap creates more favorable conditions for preserving their blood supply, innervation and for the healing of the wound.

In the article results of examinations got in case of surgical accesses through the flank and ventral wall of the stomach’s implementation on purpose to the cats’ ovariohysterectomy are given. The research work was carried out on healthy sexually-mature cats. Surgeries were done in the upper third of the right flank abdominal wall and in the behind the umbilical zone. The cross-cut on the boundary of groin and illium area in the direction from the hook-bone’s front border to the fourth nipple of the mammary gland of the appropriate side was applied on the side abdominal wall. It is established that in case of the accomplishment of cat’s ovariohysterectomy with the use of suggested surgical access through the side abdominal wall a duration of an operation and a period of healing are in line with those which are in case of application of median laparotomy. It is proved that the surgical access with the cross-cut done in the upper third of the right flank abdominal wall and on the boundary of groin and illium area in case of cat’s ovariohysterectomy secure better opportunities for the fulfillment of the surgical method than the median one. It is also noted that in case of cat’s ovariohysterectomy the surgical access through the upper third of the right flank abdominal wall with the cut in the direction from the hook-bone’s front border to the fourth nipple of the mammary gland of the appropriate side could be recommended as an alternative of an access through the middle line of the stomach.

Virgo intacta, 49 years old, in the climacteric period. For the first time, she covered up a tumor in herself, when she was 35 years old. The tumor occupies mainly the left half of the abdomen, reaching along the nipple line to the ribs, along the middle line up to 8 cm. above the navel. The probe is inserted into the canal of the uterus only 4 cm. Excessively with the removal of the tumor, uterus and appendages (the patient died of peritonitis, as a result of a peritiflytic abscess).

Introduction: Digastric is a suprahyoid muscle and usually consists of two bellies. Its action consists in drawing the mental region downwards and backwards when opening the mouth, resulting in the depression of the mandible. Methods and Results: During a routine dissection of the cervical region, a muscle bundle arising from the intermediary tendon going towards the middle line was found. The supranumerary belly arised from the intermediary tendon so that some bundles inserted on the middle rafe and others continued towards the mento and inserted on the belly of mylohyoid muscle at the same side. These anatomic variations on the anterior belly of the digastric muscle could be significant during surgical procedures involving the submental region. Conclusion: Besides this surgical importance, we suggest that these supranumerary bellies have no direct action on the mandible, but on the floor of the mouth, due to its insertions on the mylohyoid muscle.

Objective To investigate a novel intermuscular surgical approach for posterior upper cervical spine fixation. Methods Twenty-three healthy volunteers underwent magnetic resonance imaging. By using the magnetic resonance imaging scans in transverse view at the level of lower edge of atlas, the distances from the posterior midline to lateral margin of trapezius, to the medial margin of splenius capitis, and to middle line of semispinalis capitis were recorded. The angle between posterior middle line and the line crossing the lateral margin of trapezius and middle point of ipsilateral pedicles. From October 2009 to May 2013, 12 patients with upper cervical spine injuries were operated via the bilateral intermuscular approach. The time required for surgery, blood loss, and pre- and postoperative visual analogue scale scores were analyzed. Results The average distance of 0-T was 39.2 ± 7.5 mm, the angle between the approach and posterior middle line was 33.2 ± 8.4°. The surgical time was 78.3 ± 22.5 minutes (45–140 minutes), and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 87.5 ± 44.2 mL (30–200 mL). Preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale scores were 6.4 ± 0.8 and 1.8 ± 0.7, respectively. The average follow-up time was 19.7 ± 11.5 months (9–48 months). Conclusions The posterior bilateral intermuscular approach for upper cervical spine injuries is a valid alternative for Hangmans' fractures type I, type II, and type Ia according to Levine and Edwards classification as well as atlantoaxial subluxation caused by upper cervical spine trauma.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the locations of the supraorbital foramen (SOF) and the infraorbital foramen (IOF) relative to soft- and hard-tissue landmarks. It will provide more accurate data for dental and facial surgery. Twenty embalmed adult cadavers (40 sides; 16 men, 4 women) were dissected to expose the SOFs and IOFs, and another 46 skulls (92 sides) were also measured for further study. The locations of the SOFs and IOFs were evaluated with direct and photographic measurements. The data gained were analyzed by statistical method. The horizontal distances between the SOFs/IOFs and the medial canthus to the distance between the medial canthus and the lateral canthus ratios have been measured, and their confidence intervals are 0.22 to 0.31 and 0.34 to 0.49, respectively, and their linear regression equations are EF = 0.58 CF + 25.02 (unit: mm) and EF = 0.51 DG + 24.20 (unit: mm). The vertical distance between IOFs/SOFs and the medial/lateral canthi are 25.09 ± 3.36 mm/23.91 ± 3.31 mm and 25.75 ± 3.34 mm/26.93 ± 3.88 mm, respectively. The horizontal angle between IOFs/SOFs and the medial/lateral canthi are 72.54 ± 7.13 degrees, 66.77 ± 5.17 degrees, 47.45 ± 6.57 degrees, 54.69 ± 8.38 degrees, respectively. Based on the hard tissues, The SOF localized 20.55 ± 3.24 mm medial and 13.78 ± 2.60 mm superior to the zygomaticofrontal suture. And the horizontal angle between them is 56.04 ± 6.87 degrees. The IOF localized 18.52 ± 2.30 mm medial and 30.79 ± 3.29 inferior to the zygomaticofrontal suture. The horizontal angle between them is 31.06 ± 4.33 degrees. We also found that most (96.81%) of the IOFs were located below the middle line of the zygomatic arch. These results may provide more detailed information about the locations of SOF and IOF. And they will facilitate prediction of the locations of IOF and SOF in clinical procedure.

In the 6th week of the embryo development the morphological sexual characteristics of both sexes start to establish themselves. In every embryo, on both sides of the middle line, the following structures are present: (i) a genital septum; (ii) a Wolf mesenteric duct, beside the genital septum; (iii) a paramesonephric Mullerian duct that consists of three segments: (a) a vertical cranial sector beside the Wolf duct; (b) a middle horizontal sector that passes in front of the Wolf duct; and (c) an inferior or caudal sector. According to the established sex at the moment of fertilization, the absence of the Y chromosome clears the way for the differentiation in the female sense, establishing the retraction of the Wolf ducts, the development of the structures derived of the Muller paramesonephric ducts and the formation of the ovaries.

ecause of their location and biological behavior, clivus chordomas are tumors that remain a major challenge for B the neurosurgeon. Clivus chordoma is a slow-growing malignant tumor that originates in the remnants of the notochord and represents 1% of all intracranial tumors. These tumors can be found at the skull base as well as the spine, with a special predilection for the sacrococcygeal and clival regions. Even though the notochord induces the formation of the axial skeleton, clivus chordomas are not necessarily found in the middle line; remnants of this embryological structure have been found at virtually any location of the skull base.

Object: To provide the anatomic basis of imaging for the segmental vessels of the thoracolumbar spine side and measure the distance between two adjacent segmental arteries in the three-dimensional images. Method: After conducting angiography for 50 cases of normal adults through the ulnar vein, carrying out thoracolumbar CT scans. In the image observation: The course and adjacent relationship of the segmental vessels; Measuring range: the distance between the upper and lower segmental arteries of the middle line of spine side. Results: We could observe the course and the adjacent relationship of thoracolumbar spine lateral vascular. In between the upper and lower segmental vessels consists a relatively non-vascular nerve safe zone where the intervertebral space locates. And we surveyed the related datas. Conclusion: Three-dimensional reconstruction of CT images can effectively observe the course and adjacent relationship of the thoracolumbar spinal lateral segmental artery, and can accurately measure the safe zone.

The purpose of this study was to provide a quantitative description of the anatomical relationship between the proximal tibia and posterior neurovascular structures to delineate a safe zone for tibial surgery. We measured the distance between the tibial cortex and neurovascular structures, and the width of the medial/lateral part of the tibia without neurovascular structures, using magnetic resonance imaging data of 50 knees. The average distance was

Los defectos abdominales congénitos de la línea media inferior, como la extrofia cloacal, se producen por fallos en el mesodermo entre la región umbilical y la membrana cloacal provocando severos defectos viscerales, musculares y óseos. Los reiterados intentos para la reconstrucción de los tractos intestinal y génitourinario en este tipo de malformaciones, pueden ocasionar secuelas graves en la pared malformada. La complejidad de esta malformación y los numerosos procedimientos a los que deben ser sometidos estos pacientes, requieren de un abordaje interdisciplinario desde el inicio del tratamiento y en cada una de las etapas reconstructivas a fin de evitar, al máximo, las lesiones de los tejidos abdominales para lograr, al final, una pared adecuada. Presentamos 2 casos de reconstrucción de la pared abdominal en sendos pacientes de sexo femenino con secuelas importantes de extrofia cloacal, utilizando tejidos expandidos, colgajos musculares y complementando el tratamiento en una de las pacientes con una malla protésica. En ambos casos, y a pesar de la falta de tejido provocada por la malformación y las secuelas de múltiples cirugías, obtuvimos un buen resultado funcional y estético.

An operative method to create interdigital space was described. In this method, a pantaloon flap on the dorsal side and a triangular flap on the palmar or plantar side are designed, and two flaps are inserted to interdigital space from each side. Skin defects of proximal area of both fingers are covered by full-thickness skin graft. It is very important for a triangular flap of the palmar or plantar side that width of the flap is enough to go beyond middle line of the finger and an angle of tip of the flap is less than the right angle.

Paralysis of the left vocal chord is frequent in human clinical practice; because of its anatomic similarity with human, the guinea pig might be a suitable biological model to analyze the phoniatric behavior in denerved animals. Forty newborn guinea pigs were used (20 control and 20 experimental); an incision was made in the ventricular region with the animals under general anesthesia over the middle line of the neck, until the lower left laryngeal nerve was found, the same was secured with alligator clips so that afterward a two-part dissection could be performed and the middle section could be removed (1cm) from the nerve endings (distal and proximal) before they were separated from the laryngeal structure. After recovery from surgery, vocal emissions were recorded in solitary for 6 minutes. The animals that had nerves removed showed an increase in fundamental vocalization frequency compared with the controls. F test was carried out (P=0.05) and no significant difference was found. When analyzing functional recovery, we found that the guinea pigs compensated vocal emissions at 20 days. With regard to the unilateral paralysis, the motility was frequently compensated by the healthy vocal chord, improving voice emission, and loss of air inhalation.

A total of 122 adult human pubes (66 males and 56 females) are used in this study of a discriminant function analysis for determining sex from four pubic measurements: the angle formed by the middle line of the superior ramus and inferior ramus of pubis (in degrees, X1), subpubic angle (in degrees, X2), the minimum distance from the symphyseal surface to the obturator (in millimeters, X3), and the minimum thickness of the ischiopubic ramus (in millimeters, X4). The method introduced by Fisher is used. Using the formula Y = 0.270 mean1-0.985mean2-0.761mean3 + 1.806mean4,F = 200 F = 200 (F > F0.01(4,117), P < 0.01), section point -32.47, an accuracy of 100% could be achieved for 230 pubes (130 males, 100 females).

Children with Cantrell's deformity manifest a midline defect of the lower sternum and epigastrium. A surgical technique is described that uses the lowermost sternocostal cartilages in reconstructing the defected sternum and simultaneously reapproximating the rectus abdominis muscles in the middle line for repair of the epigastric defect. Solid cardiac protection and superior cosmetic results were obtained without the use of foreign prosthetic material.

High frequency ultrasound can resolve the structure of the wall of the gastro-intestinal tract into three highly echogenic lines with poorly echogenic zones between them. Sequential removal of layers of the walls of fresh specimens of the gastro-intestinal tract showed the following correlation between the sonographic and histological findings: the innermost and outermost highly echogenic lines correspond to incident and exit echoes. The middle line corresponds with the sub-mucosa and the junctional zones of the mucosa/muscularis mucosa and sub-mucosa/muscularis propria. The intervening low echo lines correspond with the mucosa and muscularis propria.

In 36 per cent of cases of temporal lobe epilepsy spindle-like theta-discharges (4–7 c/sec) in the frontal part of the middle-line (electrodes Fz, Cz) spreading sometimes in the parasagittal direction to the side of the lesion are described. In some cases sharp waves are observed in the discharges. The theta-discharges are more easily detected when recorded by the average reference technique. They may be independent of or synchronous with the epileptic discharges in the temporal lobe while sometimes they are registered as the single EEG symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy. The system: mediobasal structures of the temporal lobe, fornix, mamillary bodies, mamillothalamic tract, anterior thalamic nucleus and cingulate gyrus, is assumed to be the anatomical substratum of the theta-discharges in the middle-line discussed.

Retrograde venous drainage from the vessels of the midline to the veins of one of the cerebral hemispheres is demonstrated angiographically and by means of simple models. Three examples are given: While the first one showed special conditions, the latter two are examples for venous drainage from one hemisphere to the other by way of the midline-vessels. Hemodynamics are inverted in these cases; the veins showing retrograde flow are situated in the hemisphere opposite to the one, in which the pathological flow takes its origin. The pathological flow itself is originated by elevatedvenous pressure resulting from either lack of vascular resistance of the arterioles—i.e. cases of arteriovenous shunt—or from thrombosis or compression of normal venous pathways. Arteriovenous pressure-gradients are necessarily diminished in these cases in order that the midline vessels are able to drain into the veins of the opposite hemisphere.

1. Prorhynchus tasmaniensis sp. nov. is found under alpine conditions in Tasmania. 2. It is allied to Prorhynchus putealis Haswell, but exhibits the following differences: (a) Larger size, (b) Posterior excretory canal does not bifurcate, (c) Female genital pore almost in line with excretory pores and below pharynx, (d) Female genital pore only one-eighth of body-length from anterior end. (Difference from all other members of the genus.) (e) Germo-vitellarium in middle line ventral to intestine. (f) Testis follicular, extending from the right side over the intestine on to the left side. (Difference from all other members of the genus.)

In regard to external form, Nerine foliosa, Sars, is generally taken as the type of the family, and therefore it may be selected for structural examination in the first instance. Anteriorly the pointed snout is completed by the intricate interlacing of the muscular fibres beneath specially thickened cuticular and hypodermic layers. As soon as the body-wall assumes a rounded form, a layer of circular and oblique muscular fibres occurs beneath the hypoderm, the majority having the latter (i.e., the oblique) direction. In the centre of the area the oesophagus is suspended by strong muscular bundles (the most conspicuous of which are vertical) passing from the hypodermic basement-layer in the middle line superiorly to be attached to the œsophagal wall. A second series, as they descend to their insertion at the ventral surface, give lateral support to the tube; while a third group interlace in a complex manner, and, with the blood-vessels, fill up the space between the œsophagus and the wall of the body.

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1. The six pairs of gills in Ephemera danica causing currents in the water are bilamellate and feather-like. 2. The gills move in metachronal rhythm from before backwards, and set up currents which are symmetrical with the body axis. Members of pairs of gills beat synchronously and in phase with each other. The difference of phase between two adjacent gills of the same side is about one-eighth of a complete oscillation. 3. For a single gill there is little or no difference in the angle presented by the gill to its own path of motion, in the two halves of an oscillation. This factor (angle of incidence) is not of great importance in directing water backwards. Forces of importance in moving water in the direction taken are (i) the resultant of axial and transverse force components for single gills, (ii) the pressure effected on the water over the animal's back by the two members of a pair of gills falling, (iii) the movement backwards of alternating pressure regions over the back, (iv) the undulations of the second screw-like gills which feed the main current from in front and from the sides. 4. The fringing filaments of adjacent gills overlap each other from before backwards (as seen from the middle line of the body), and thus each row of gills forms a "membrane" composed of separate gill units. The latter appear never to lose contact with each other during movement, and since no sideways flow is observed between the gills it is assumed that the overlapping filaments between the gills form a membrane impermeable to flow. 5. The adaptation of Ephemera to its sandy environment is shortly discussed.

Summary The more important features in the morphology of the male urogenital system of Lepitlosiren and Protopterus may be summarized as follows:— 1 The testis is very much elongated and is divisible into an anterior formative and n posterior vesicular and conducting region. 2 The posterior part of the vesicular region is connected with the tubules of the hind end of the mesonephros, which serve for the passage of the genital products. 3 In Protopterus the testis is connected with the kidney only at its extreme tip; in Lepidosiren there is a stories of about half a dozen segmentally arranged vasa efferentia which open into Malpighinn capsules. 4 In Protopterus the hind genital region of the kidneys is clearly marked off from the rest, and in this region the kidneys are fused across the middle line; in Lepidosiren there is only a slight attempt at this differentiation, and the kidneys of the two sides are posteriorly, as elsewhere, quite distinct. 5 The Wolffian ducts open in the adult inale by a common (Protopterus) or by two separate (Lepidosiren) papillae into the distal portion of the cloacal caecum, which is morphologically a urogenital sinus formed in ontogeny as a dilatntion of the fused, but originally separate, posterior portions of the Wolffian ducts.

Shell transversely subpentagonal, rounded, subglobose, unequally biconvex. Pediele-valve shallower than the brachial valve, with a broad, weak, undefined, median sinus, widening anteriorly; beak high, rounded, incurred, pointed; interior of valve with the walls and floor of the umbonal cavity thickened, with thin low dental plates fused to the sides and supporting small short teeth ; umbonal cavity sharply separated in front from the base of the deeply sunk subpyriform muscular area, extending about half the length of the valve, and composed of a pair of elongated flabelliform diductors enclosing very narrow shorter adductors. Bmchial valve deeper and more convex than the opposite valve, with a low, median, undefined, rounded fold; the interior of the valve has a long, lanceolate, well-defined muscular area extending fully three-fourths of the length of the valve, and composed of a pair of narrow adductors separated by a low, thick, median septum; hinge-plate thick, large, with a concave semicircular face divided by a narrow median slit into a pair of triangular areas; erura stout, rod-like, cylindrical, closely placed in the middle line. Posterior margins of both valves slightly thickened internally. Surface of valves covered with regular rounded fine thread-like riblets, 40 to 50 in number, 9 to 12 lying in the sinus. Dimensions.—Length=10 to 12 mm Width=12 to 14 ram. Remarks.—The material consists of several more or less perfect internal casts of complete shells, or single valves with impressions of the external surface of a few of the same specimens. The internal characters are well preserved

The fossil obtained by the Rev. Messrs. Hislop and Hunter† from the sandstone series of Mangali, about sixty miles to the south of Nagpur, and transmitted for my examination, is a considerable portion of a skull, wanting chiefly the tympanic pedicles and the lower jaw; it is imbedded in a block of bright brick-red compact stone, with its upper surface exposed. The skull (Pl. II.) is broad, depressed, of an almost equilateral triangular form ; the occipital border or plane rather exceeding in extent each lateral border, which borders converge with a slight convex curve to the rounded obtuse muzzle. The breadth of the occiput is 4 inches 9 lines, and the extent of each lateral border of the skull in a right line is 4 inches 6 lines. Most of the cranial bones are impressed by rather coarse grooves, radiating in each from a prominence which indicates the primitive centre of ossification; the intervening ridges being in some parts broken up by communicating grooves into tubercles. The orbits ( o, o ) are entire, of a moderate size, of a full oval form, and situated in the anterior half of the skull. The middle line of the upper surface of the skull is slightly depressed; at the upper and fore part of the skull on each side, there is a smooth continuous groove of a sigmoid form, with a strong curve, convex outwards anterior to the orbit, and with a less strong curve, convex inwards on the inner side of the

Diagnosis.—Asty incrusting, uniserial, with bilateral and unilateral branching; œcia dimorphic; normal œcia with short caudæ or without caudæ pyriform; termen a complete, high, narrow, oval ridge with few small spines on its circumference and, at the proximal-lateral corners of the aperture, a pair of stout spines which sometimes, if not always, bend towards one another and fuse in the middle line; apparently there are no spines around the distal end of the aperture; extra-terminal front-wall well-developed proximally, and arched; intra-terminal front-wall a wide, depressed lamina; aperture oval, sub-quadrate, somewhat constricted laterally; avicularia small, one, or a pair, placed laterally and somewhat distally with regard to each aperture, rather abruptly pointed with the distal ends curved towards the aperture they encompass; ovicells hyperstomial.

In the collection of Mr. Alfred Brown, of Ariwal North, there is a fairly complete skull of a moderate-sized Stegocephalian which differs very considerably from that of any form hitherto described. The specimen is in a sandstone matrix. Owing to a crack produced by weathering practically all the cranial bones adhered to the counter slab when an endeavour was made to display the remains. The sculpturing of the bones is thus hidden, but the sutures are for the most part distinctly seen. Fig. 1 represents a slightly restored view of the upper side of the skull. The most striking features are the great breadth of the skull and the relatively advanced position of the orbits. In these respects it makes a slight approach to the condition found in the American genus Diplocaulus. There is no distinct notch in the post-temporal region, as in most Stegocephalians, and there are no ‘epiotic’ cornua. There are two rudimentary cornua on the posterior cranial border, but they are formed by the so-called ‘supra-occipital’ bones. In the middle line between the frontals and nasals is a median bone, probably an ethmoid. I fail to detect a supra-temporal element as distinct from the quadrato-jugal, which is of large size.

The author, in the first instance, directed attention to the discrepant statements of various comparative anatomists respecting the thyroid gland in the Cetacea, quoting from the writings of John Hunter, Meckel, Cuvier, Carus, and Dr Martyn. He then related the result of his own dissections made on three specimens of the common porpoise (Phocœna communis), one being a fœtus, another a well grown male, the third an adult male. In each of these animals a well marked thyroid gland was found, lying on the anterior and lateral surfaces of the trachea at its upper end, and extending slightly upwards on each side over the outer surface of the cricoid cartilage. It presented no division into two lateral lobes, as described by Cuvier and Carus, but consisted of a single uniform mass extending across the middle line.

Summary This paper is based on the comparative study of 15,516 specimens of Taphius glabratus from 36 localities and 12,776 of Taphius tenagophilus from 31 localities. A description of the renal region of both species is given, and it is concluded that they are distinguishable by the presence (in T. glabratus) or absence (in T. tenagophilus) of a ridge along the middle line of the membrane which covers ventrally the renal tube. The ridge makes its appearance in specimens of about 10 mm in shell diameter and then gradually develops as the animal grows. It rises from a pigmented stripe which represents its forerunner in the small specimens under 10 mm in diameter. The renal ridge is defined, both anatomically and histologically, and is shown to be a reliable diagnostic character of T. glabratus subject to age variation. The unridged renal membrane of T. tenagophilus is also defined, with especial reference to its variation and to some unusual characteristics that may lead the taxonomist to confuse T. tenagophilus and T. glabratus.

Jendrassik's manoeuver was applied during the rotatory test in 20 cases of Meniere's disease and two cases of involvement of the inner ear after parotitis epidemica when turning the head 40° from the middle line towards the affected ear was observed. Romberg-Babinski-Hirsch-waltzing tests gave even better results under Jendrassik's manoeuver. It was stated that the cross-perception of the bone conduction test (bone receiver on the frontal or parietal region) was more evident when the named manoeuver was applied and the lower jaw tightly clenched. The neural mechanism of Jendrassik's manoeuver is discussed.

Thorax slate-grey, pattern indistinguishable; scutellum with two dark triangular areas which are contiguous at their upper inner angles. Abdomen with the darker blotches on each side of the second segment very faint ; on the other segments the banding is not a prominent feature, as it is in the typical form; the bands olive-grey, their margins being distinct and defined from the ground-colour, which is a few shades lighter. In the middle line the banding is cut off square, leaving a very narrow straight line down the centre of the segments ; the outer margins of the bands sloping away from below upwards and leaving light areas on each side. Legs with all the joints of the front and middle tarsi pale, except the distal end of the latter which has a faint darkish ring ; the last two joints of the hind tarsi faintly dark, but nothing like so dark as in G. morsitans. Wings tinged with light yellowish-brown.

THOUGH the brain of the young Australopithecus is about 500 c.c. and that of the adult perhaps 600 c.c. or more, the brain of the type Plesianthropus about 450 c.c, and of the beautiful female skull about 415 c.c, it has been suspected that some male brains may have been very much larger. The Kromdraai skull has a brain that we estimated may have been about 650 c.c. ; but with little more than the temporal bone and the middle line as evidence the determination is not as convincing as one would like.

In clinical surgery the necessity for a methodical examination is obvious. One conceives a greater regard for palpation when one considers that the labyrinth which contains the receptors for the auditory and static senses was primordially a tactile organ of ectodermal origin. Is feeling believing? Yes. Having listened to the history and made an inspection, one proceeds to palpate the neck from above and behind the head, comparing one side with the other. Most information will be gained if the head is supported by a pillow or headrest so that the muscles are fully relaxed. Thyroglossal cysts are not always exactly in the middle line of the neck. A swelling beside the foramen caecum of the tongue may comprise the only thyroid glandular substance that the patient possesses. Surgical emphysema from escape of air into the tissues from the respiratory tract or inflation of laryngoceles when the patient blows out

The abdomen is opened by an incision about 5 inches long and 1 inch to the right of the middle line, beginning about 2 inches below the costal arch and extending the mentioned length to above the navel. The stomach is exposed, below which is the transverse colon and the omentum covering the loops of the small intestine. The prongs of the instrument are opened on their hinge, the superior prong grasping the closed elliptical band (Fig. 1, A, B and C). The elliptical band mounted on the prong is pushed up, gathering omentum and transverse mesocolon and applied to the transverse mesocolon and with this structure interposed to the posterior wall of the stomach, directly in the middle line of the body. The convex hemisphere, elliptical and corresponding in shape to that of the band and made to fit into it, carried on its prong, is applied to the

Professor Goodsir communicated an abstract of a paper by Mr Zaglus on the muscular structure of the tongue. The author of the paper had found the muscular substance of the tongue to consist of a cortical layer, which surrounds the organ on all sides, except its posterior attachment, and in the middle line of its inferior surface.

To the Editor —In reply to Dr. Ryfkogel's note, kindly permit me to quote from my article as formerly published inThe Journal, as follows: "When half or more of the entire lip is removed, I am in the habit of perfecting and completing the operation by making an incision from each angle of the mouth backward and slightly downward half to one inch in length, down to the buccal mucous membrane, and then separating the latter from overlying tissues above, below and posteriorly to the extent of half an inch. The lip above and below is now beveled from the inner border in order to conform to natural conditions and also to make it easier to cover. The mucous membrane is now divided in the middle line and the flaps united to the skin by one continuous suture of chromicized

IT is usually stated in text-books that among living reptiles only the Crocodilia and Hatteria are furnished with abdominal ribs or parasternum: that is, of course, in the condition of thin pieces of bone lying between the ventral muscles and underlying the true ribs, for no one doubts that the plastron of the Chelonia is the same structure exaggerated. There has been some little confusion between the abdominal ribs and the ventral moieties of the true ribs in Lacertilia, which is cleared up by Dr. Gadow in his contribution to the “Cambridge Natural History.” Dr. Gadow correctly observes of the geckos that they possess very, long and slender post-thoracic ribs, “which meet each other, in the middle line, in this case bearing an extra-ordinary resemblance to the so-called ‘abdominal ribs’ of other Reptiles.” The statements as to “abdominal ribs” made by M. Boulenger in his catalogue of the lizards in the British Museum appear to me to refer to true ribs. Of the Scincidae, he remarks that ossified abdominal ribs are absent.” Curiously enough, it is precisely in this group that I find a parasternum. In Tiliqua scincoides the ventral musculature is divided by the usual tendinous septa into successive “myotomes,” the tendinous intervals being distinctly ossified; there are several pairs of these bonelets which seem to be exactly like those of Hatteria, with which I have compared them. That they are not the ventral moieties of the true ribs is shown by the fact that they overlap the latter, the two series of structures lying at a different plane in the musculature. I intend to make a more detailed communication to the Zoological Society upon this subject immediately.

A DAY or two ago a curious and interesting abnormality came under my notice, which, I think, deserves mention. I was examining the back of a girl, aged about eight, when I saw over the lower part of the sacrum, in the middle line of the back, a small hole, that, on the first glance, seemed like the opening of an old sinus. I was told, however that it had been present since birth, and I then looked at it more carefully. It had a direction downwards and somewhat forwards, and consisted of a reflection of the skin entering a more or less circular depression, about ¼inch in diameter, and about ¼ inch deep. Not quite ¼inch below its lower border could be felt the pointed extremity of the coccyx, which, instead of having its usual form, curved backwards and rather upwards. On stretching the skin downwards, that portion of it entering the depression or hole was raised, coming out like the top part of the finger of a glove which had been pressed down into the lower part, and a small prominence, about the height of the diameter of a pea, stood up from the surface; and this little sheath was found to cover and exactly fit the sharp end of the coccyx. The resemblance this bore to a rudimentary tail was sufficiently striking.