are found in the tissues themselves. So also the organic compounds lactate of soda, lactate of lime, pneumate of soda, margarate of soda, stearate of soda, butyrate of soda, oleine, margarine, stearine, lecethine, glucose, inosite, plasmine, serine, peptones, etc., are found alike in the tissues and in the blood plasma. That they are in solution in the plasma is well known,--that they are in a solid or precipitated form in the tissues is also true,--and that the tissues are supplied from the blood is also evident,--because the blood is the only part that receives supplies of material direct from the food taken and digested. That carbonate of lime and phosphate of lime are precipitated or assimilated from the plasma to form bone, is admitted by all physiologists. That the carbonates and phosphates already deposited act as the re-agent to precipitate fresh supplies from the plasma is not a demonstrated fact, but may be inferred. So also with the other tissues. Should this be admitted without positive evidence we would not then be at the end of our problem;--for the question may be asked as to what causes the first or initial deposit. Here we must stop and acknowledge our ignorance. But you may now ask what all this physiology and chemistry of the plasma has to do with a report on surgery. I propose to use it for the purpose of explaining some peculiarities in the process of repair in surgical cases. A few months ago I had a case of delayed union in a fracture of the tibia, at the hospital, and spent more time in waiting for nature, unassisted, to accomplish a cure, than I should ever spend again. One week after putting the patient on the use of ten grain doses of hypophosphite of lime, I had the pleasure of seeing bony union commencing. And why? Simply because the quantity of phosphate of lime in solution in the plasma was not sufficient to supply the waste of bone tissue in all parts of the body, and at the same time furnish a supply for the provisional callus which is thrown out in the repair of fractures.