has adhered, from observing if the matter be small and well concocted, or if there be no discharge at all; and moreover if there be no sensible pain along the sinus nor swelling, but the whole part is contracted, dry, and free from pain. But if you see a little well concocted pus at the orifice, you may still more confidently entertain good hopes. If on the second or third day a thin ichor be discharged from the sinus, you need not despair that adhesion has taken place, for often the strength of the medicine squeezes out from the parts below a thin fluid, which being discharged the parts become dry and adhere. But if on the third or fourth day from the commencement the matter appear unconcocted as it runs from the opening, you may be sure that the sinus has not adhered, and you must persevere with the same application. When owing to the moisture of the part it falls off, as is not unlikely, it will not be improper to make some change in the medicine itself. _On sinuous ulcers with a thin covering of skin._ When the abscess is too long opened, owing either to the unskilfulness of the surgeon, or the timidity of the patient, the skin which lies over it becomes thin and ragged, and it cannot be removed, then after the syringing which has been described, we must have recourse to an agglutinating application of a humid consistence, but of desiccative properties, such as that from chalcitis called phœnicinum, diluted with old oil, so as neither to be very hard nor of such a consistence as not to stain the finger; and afterwards it is to be mixed with moderately old wine, and applied in a circular form with corresponding bandaging. To skin in this ragged state honey, as was said, is not one of the least proper applications when boiled to the consistence of a plaster and applied. It will be better, however, if after spreading it on the rag you sprinkle over it from a sieve some myrrh finely pulverized, or aloes, or frankincense, or all of these together. I have also found the lesser centaury a wonderful application for the same purpose; next to it is comfrey, after which is the root of the Illyrian iris, and after these is the flour of tares. Sometimes during the process of boiling we sprinkle these upon the honey when the vessel is about to be taken off from the fire. It is better, however, to do so after it is taken off, and then it is to be stirred about, and when it becomes tepid applied to the sinus, and bandaged as aforesaid. * * * * * COMMENTARY. Similar directions are given by Galen and Aëtius, but upon the whole those of our author are superior; and as those of the other two supply no additional information, it will be unnecessary to multiply extracts from them. (See Galen, Therap. ad Glauc. ii.)