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lishment of his new principle of not making a preceding serious shock on the system by securing the main artery.
This improvement in surgery was rendered the more valuable by being associated with another which was a peculiar characteristic of McClellan's surgery; viz., the prevention of hæmorrhage by a practical application of the principle of laceration. He put the larger arteries involved in his operation into the condition of those of a lacerated wound, by stripping them off by a quick and dexterous sigmoid motion of his forefinger. He thus saved the time occupied in taking up arteries and applying ligatures, lessened pain, and rendered his terrific operations rapid and almost bloodless. It was McClellan's ambition to put aside the knife, and as much as possible, to substitute its handle and his fingers. By these bloodless means he would rapidly separate adherent cellular tissue, and effect at the same moment a severing and torsion of the arteries.
These new principles and methods of McClellan in surgery came all into play in his famous operations on the parotid gland and superior maxillary bone. These, more than any other of his numerous and bold operations, have surprised and astonished the profession; and have made him the subject of admiration and praise in America and Europe.
In respect to the diseased parotid gland, McClellan is not only the surgeon, who, for the first time in the United States, has completely and allowedly removed it; but who also by no less than eleven successful performances of this surgical feat—more by far than any other surgeon of his own or former days,—has established medical opinion in favour of its utility and practicability.
Permit me, gentlemen, to occupy a few moments of
