evented if the caustic be applied promptly, as in this
case. When time has been lost, the case is very different as will
appear hereafter; but even in these cases, the caustic proves an
invaluable application.

CASE II.

Mrs. Middleton, aged 40, wounded her wrist, on the ulnar side, by the
hook of a door post; there was a considerable flow of blood at first,
but this ceased suddenly and the arm immediately became affected with
great pain and swelling. The lunar caustic was applied in half an hour
after the accident.

On the following day the eschar was observed to be adherent, and the
patient reported that she had suffered scarcely any pain, after the
smarting of the caustic had ceased. There was a slight swelling round
the puncture but that of the arm had totally subsided. The caustic was
applied over and beyond the swelling. On the third day all tumefaction
had subsided and there was no complaint whatever.

I hoped that this case would have required no further attention or
remedy. But my patient contrived unfortunately to rub off the eschar
about a week after its formation, and so to expose the subjacent wound
unhealed; she suffered however no pain or inconvenience from it; and
it was again shielded by means of a fresh eschar, which remained
adherent until removed by the healing process underneath.

This puncture was so severe that the arm was in a state of ecchymosis
for six or eight inches upwards, and I doubt not that without the
caustic, there would have been severe and long continued suffering,
and perhaps painful suppurations.

CASE III.

A female servant punctured the end of the finger by a pin; there
succeeded much pain and swelling, and it appeared that the nail would
separate, and the cuticle all round the finger was raised by the
effusion of fluid. This fluid was evacuated and a poultice applied.

On the third day the cuticle was removed, and the exposed surface was
found to be ulcerated in several spots. The lunar caustic was passed
slightly over the excoriated surface, which was then left exposed to
dry.

On the succeeding day the eschar was adherent and the pain had almost
subsided. On the next day, the eschar still remained adherent, and as
there was neither pain nor soreness, the patient used her finger.

The eschar was at length removed by the healing process and was
separated together with the nail, and the case was unattended by any
further inconvenience or trouble either to the pat