None of the Greek authorities, except our author, have left a description of the operation. Psellus, however, mentions it in such a manner as would lead us to infer that the operation had not been lost sight of in his time, i. e. “Laryngotomy is a certain surgical operation.” Avicenna and Albucasis merely copy our author’s description, and appear to have never seen the operation performed. To show, however, that the windpipe may be opened without occasioning death, Albucasis relates the case of a female who cut her trachea while attempting to commit suicide; in which case, by sewing up the wound, he effected a cure without difficulty. (Chirurg. ii, 13.) Rhases mentions that, in cases of cynanche which threaten instant death, a certain physician, Ancilisius (Antyllus?) recommends the surgeon to open the windpipe. His description of the operation is as follows: The patient’s head being kept back the skin is to be divided, and the sides of it separated by means of threads, so as to expose the windpipe, which is to be opened by making an incision in the membrane which connects two of the rings together. After the abcess bursts the wound is to be sewed up. (Cont. vii, 2.) Haly Abbas likewise describes the operation accurately. He directs us to make an incision in the skin, and to separate the edges with hooks so as to expose the windpipe, which is to be opened between two cartilages. (Pract. ix, 38.) The modern history of the operation is given in Van Sweiten’s Comment. (814); Mémoires de l’Acad. Royale (ii); and Cooper’s Surgical Dictionary. See a complete history of the operation by Sprengel. (Hist. de la Méd. 18, 6.) He says, that Anthony Benivieni, a surgeon of Florence, is the first after Antyllus who is known for certain to have performed the operation. SECT. XXXIV.—ON ABSCESS.