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of the male breast, and, on reference to Dr. Marsden’s transla-tion of his work, we find him saying--" For my part, havemet with nine or ten examples of these cancers, one of whichmore resembled a fibro-plastic tumour than a scirrhus. More-over, I have met with tumours truly encephaloid a certainnumber of times in the male breast. One case in which thetumour was not ulcerated, and as large as both fists, occurredin a man about fifty years of age, and began to soften in one ofits principal enlargements. "-p. 288.Up to this time about six cases have come under observation

in the large field afforded for the study of cancer in this hos-pital, and all were of the scirrhous form. The two instanceswhich we briefly record to-day, together with the one reportedon a previous occasion, which we had examined, are of thisnature, thus assisting to prove the correctness of the viewtaken as to its being the common form invading the malebreast.James B-, aged forty-six, had some induration and en-

largement of his right breast some four years ago, but did notat the time attach any importance to it; it slowly increased insize, became very troublesome and painful, and on examinationit was pronounced to be hard cancer. Two years ago it wasamputated, and he remained tolerably free from any sufferingfor some time. Within the last few months some nodules ap-peared above and below the old cicatrix, and commenced toulcerate, the surrounding skin assuming a crimson red colour.His general health began to fail, and he applied for admissioninto this hospital on the 9th of March. Since he has been a

patient here he has somewhat improved, but his health still re-mains very delicate ; the affected breast, which occupies around patch of about three inches in diameter, has severalsmall isolated, flattish tubercles scattered around in a state ofulceration, to which the most soothing application is the leadlotion of the hospital. His breathing is rapid and short, withsome pleuritic pain ; the heart’s action is very violent, but theorgan apparently is not diseased, and it is very probable thedisease is extending inwards. The skin has a yellowish tinge,independent of the malignant aspect. He is being submittedto tonic and strengthening treatment, but a cure cannot beanticipated.The second case is that of a man, E. R-, aged sixty-four,

the subject of cancer of the left breast for six years. The glandwas removed by Mr. Lawson, of Park-street, six months ago;but latterly some hard nodules have appeared in the line ofthe cicatrix, which still bears a pretty healthy look. Thesenodules itch very much, and are slowly enlarging. In this

patient, when we saw him on the 6th of April, a little bluemark was pointed out to us by Mr. Cooke on the left side ofthe lower lip, a peculiarity frequently seen in those affectedwith cancer. This patient has been too short a time undertreatment to pronounce an opinion on the progress of his case.

GUY’S HOSPITAL.

FIBROID TUMOUR IN THE PERINEAL REGION OF THE

RIGHT LEG ;

AMPUTATION THROUGH THE FEMUR; RECOVERY.

(Under the care of Mr. BIRKETT.)W. H-, aged thirty-five, a thin, rather aged-looking car-

man, noticed, after a strain, about fourteen months before theoperation, a small movable " kernel," about the middle of theoutside of his right leg. It was not at first painful, but inproportion as it had increased the pain had become more andmore severe. He had, however, been able to work up to lastFebruary. The right leg measured nineteen inches and a halfin circumference at the largest part, about two inches belowthe head of the fibula ; the left, in the corresponding region,thirteen inches. A uniform elastic swelling occupied the upperhalf of the right perineal region, by which the fibula and itsmuscles were entirely obscured; several dilated veins ramifiedover its surface, and the skin was curiously mottled and crackedby tension. There was not any disposition to ulceration.The limb was amputated through the lower third of the

femur, on the 9th ult. Semicircular flaps of integuments anda circular incision of the muscles were made. Four large arte-ries, besides the femoral, required ligatures. The new growthwas developed in the region of the upper half of the fibula, andhad destroyed that portion of the bone except a portion of itshead, and pushed the muscles to either side. It formed acomplete individual mass amongst the muscles; was slightly

lobed, firm, fibrous, succulent, and here and there were cavitiesfilled with serum. Across these cavities delicate fibrous bands

supporting minute bloodvessels extended. The serum runningfrom the growth was clear, bright, yellow, and tenacious,drawing out in threads.

CLINICAL RECORDS.

AMPUTATION OF TWO CANCEROUS BREASTS.

Two diseased breasts were removed from elderly femalesat St. George’s Hospital, on the 25th ult. The first case wasthat of a pale-looking woman, about forty-five, whose leftbreast had become diseased during the last twelve months.The entire gland was much enlarged, very prominent, andcircular, together with being somewhat discoloured. It had.the appearance of medullary cancer, and had increased some.what rapidly of late. It was removed by Mr. PrescottHewett, and on section it resembled a mixture of the carcino-matous and encephaloid varieties of cancer, together with someof the appearances of tubero-cystic disease; in fact, when theincisions were made during removal, a large cyst was cut into,which spirted out some fluid. The poor woman had come upfrom the country a week or two ago, and she stated that thetumour had especially enlarged during the last three weeks.Before the operation, Mr. Hewett and also Mr. Caesar Hawkinsbelieved the disease to be encephaloid, but the history of thecase was doubtful. None of the axillary glands were dis-eased, and as the patient was most anxious to get rid of thebreast, her request was complied with. A large portion of theskin had to be taken away with it. A minute examination ofthe tumour confirmed its true cancerous nature.Some six or eight months back, Mr. Hewett removed a

similar tumour from the breast of a female, which we noticedin our clinical records (THE LANCET, vol. ii. 1857, p. 419.)The wound healed, and the patient went out in good health,with no return of the disease locally. It is to be hoped thepresent case may turn out even as well; it is more than pro.bable, however, that the disease will make its appearance insome other part.In the second case the breast was affected with genuine scirrhus,.

in a woman about fifty-eight years of age, and it was extirpatedby Mr. Pollock. It was the right breast, and none of the axillaryglands were implicated.

TIBIAL NODE TREATED BY LONGITUDINALSECTION.

FREQUENTLY we have seen nodes treated, by the use of thetrephine, and with the best results. An instance of the sameaffection we saw treated in another manner at UniversityCollege Hospital on the 17th February.

I A very respectable looking woman, aged thirty-five years,who had at one time lived a somewhat irregular life, has beena great sufferer from a painful node on the inner surface of themiddle of her left tibia for the last six years. It is very pos-sible, as Mr. Erichsen remarked, that it might be syphilitic.However, she has taken large doses of the iodide of potassiumto obtain relief, which was afforded whilst taking this medi-cine ; but it had now and then to be intermitted, as it derangedher general health. Some short time ago Mr. Erichsen dividedthe periosteum over the node subcutaneously, but without anymarked benefit, and on the 17th February he treated the nod&by making a longitudinal section through the bone by meansof a Hey’s saw. This will not only relieve tension, but willbring on suppuration, and probably complete relief. Shouldthis plan of treatment prove successful, it will be an encourage-’

*

ment to adopt it in these painful affections again. Since the-operation she has gone on quite well.

TREATMENT OF ABSCESSES BY SUBCUTANEOUSPUNCTURE.

Two instances of this kind came under observation at theWestminster Hospital on the 16th February worthy of notice.An elderly man was brought into the theatre, with a large ab-scess situated to the outer side of the left hip and thigh, whichhad formed but a few weeks back. He, however, had been asufferer from pain in that situation for the last eighteen months,brought on from sleeping on a damp floor, and had been treated