ter's skin.

On the following day the eschar remained adherent round the edges, but
had a puffy feel in the centre; I pierced it with a penknife and a
little bloody fluid escaped, and I touched the orifice thus made with
the caustic. The swelling remained as before, with a degree of
soreness.

On the next day the swelling had subsided. The eschar had the same
character; a little fluid was again evacuated and the caustic applied
to the orifice as before.

This mode of treatment was pursued for nine successive days when the
eschar remained adherent in every part.

This patient continued her usual avocations all along. Under any other
plan of treatment I think it impossible that she should not have been
compelled to rest for a number of days.

Adherent eschars were formed on the other three bites which were less
severe, from the first application.

A very irritable sore sometimes forms after the application of
leeches. I knew one lady who was confined during five weeks with
several sores on her foot from such a case. I have no doubt that the
application of the caustic would have prevented all the inconvenience
and suffering she experienced. This observation will be confirmed by
the following case.

CASE XIII.

Am old man applied leeches to the instep for inflammation occasioned
by a bruise. Several very irritable sores were produced with some
swelling. I applied the lunar caustic to form an eschar.

On the following day, the eschars were adherent, the swelling had
subsided, and he had slept well for the first time of several nights.

I do not, however, think the lunar caustic would succeed in such cases
if attended by great inflammation, without the previous application of
a cold poultice with rest for a day or two.

II. ON BRUISES.

It has been already observed, p. 9, that the caustic is an invaluable
remedy in cases of bruised wounds of the shin. In these, as in all
other cases, the value of this remedy is greatly enhanced by an early
application. In bruises on the shin I have not had a single instance
in which I was not enabled to effect a cure by the adherent eschar, if
application was made to me early. The difficulty of forming an
adherent eschar is always increased by delay; but in these bruises
along the shin there is an additional reason for this increased
difficulty, arising out of the tendency observed in them, to the
formation of a slough.

In this place I have, indeed, to make an observati