The glands of Bartholin, or the vulvo-vaginal glands, are two racemose structures about the size of a pea, lodged between the layers of the triangular ligament, one on each side of the orifice of the vagina. Their ducts open a little in front of the fossa navicularis, on each side of the vaginal orifice, in the groove between the attached border of the hymen and the labium minus. =Removal of a cyst of Bartholin’s gland.= These cysts really arise in the ducts rather than in the gland itself. The orifice of the main duct is very liable to become blocked from inflammation of the vulva, and leads to the formation of a single cyst varying in size from a cherry to an orange. Less common is the blocking of the secondary ducts, wherefrom a collection of small cysts results. The cyst forms a characteristic tense ovoid or pyriform swelling in the posterior third of the labium majus. The chief symptoms the patient complains of are discomfort in walking and pain on coitus. =Operation.= The best procedure is complete excision of the cyst. A longitudinal incision is made over its cutaneous surface, and the cyst carefully dissected out, together with the gland itself: care must be taken not to perforate the vaginal mucous membrane stretched over the inner surface of the cyst. Brisk bleeding from vessels at the base of the cyst, usually follows from the cavity which contained the cyst and this must be carefully arrested, otherwise a large hæmatoma may result. The cavity is closed by five or six interrupted catgut sutures, passing deeply through its sides and floor, so as to ensure complete closure. A gauze drain may be inserted and retained for twenty-four hours. The method of incising the cyst, swabbing its interior with undiluted carbolic acid, and packing it with gauze is not to be recommended, for cure is neither so rapid nor so certain as in excision. =Incision of an abscess of Bartholin’s gland.= Abscesses arise by infection passing into the gland along the ducts, and are a very frequent accompaniment of gonorrhœa. The orifice of the duct can usually be seen red and prominent, and may exude pus if pressure be made over the abscess-sac. Sometimes the abscess bursts and spontaneous recovery may follow, but it is very liable to recur, for infection lurks among the smaller ducts and is carried to a fresh part of the gland, and the process may continue until the whole gland has been thus destroyed. =Operation.= The abscess must be freely incised and all pockets and septa broken down. It is stuffed with iodoform gauze, which is changed daily, and the cavity is allowed to granulate up from the bottom. If the abscess recurs, or if it consists only of a small collection of pus surrounded by brawny œdema, the whole gland should be excised. OPERATIONS FOR ATRESIA OF THE HYMEN AND THE VAGINA