sir CHRISTOPHER WREN, knt.

237

Nor is it a small Convenience to the Anatomist, that he may in the Bodies os 2 -Brutes make divers instructive Experiments, that he dares not venture on, inriiofe of Men; as for Instance, that late noble, and by many not yet credited Oxtoid >L6z.Experiment, of taking out the Spleen of a Dog without killing him : For, thatthis Experiment may be useful, we may elsewhere have Occasion to shew ; andthat it is possible to be safely made, (th o'many, I confess, have but unprofperoustyattempted it, and it hath been lately pronounced impossible in Print) ourselvesc an witness. And because I have not yet met with any Author, that profesieshimself not to relate this Experiment (of the Exemption of a Dog’s Spleen)hpon the Credit of others, but as an Eye-witness; I am content to assure you,that that dexterous Dissector, Dr. Jolive, did the last Year, at my Request,take out the Spleen of a young Setting-dog I brought him; and that it mighthot be pretended, the Experiment was unfaithfully, or favourably made; Idid Part of it myself, and held the Spleen (which was the largest in Propor-tion to his Body I ever saw) in my Hand, whilst he cut asunder the Vessels,r eaching to it, that I might be sure there was not the least Part of the SpleenEft unextirpated ; and yet this Puppy, in less than a Fortnight, grew not onlyWell, but as sportive and as wanton as before, which I need not take Pains tobrake you believe, since you often saw him at your Mother’s House, whenceAt length he was stol’n. And tho’ I remember the famous Emperick Fioro-Vanti, in one of his Italian Books, mentions his having been prevail’d with bysite Importunity of a Lady (whom he calls Marulla Grœca) much afflicted withsplenetick Distempers, to rid her of her Spleen ; and adds, That she outlivedthe Loss of it many Years: Yet he that considers the Situation of that Part,and the Considerableness of the Vessels belonging to it, in human Bodies, willprobably be apt to think, that tho’ his Relation may be credited, his Ven-turoufnefs ought not to be imitated.

The Operatwi and Method of Cure, by Dr. Wren.

P Rovide a Dog, as big as a Spaniel, and having tied him in a fit Posture onthe right Side, with a Cushion under him, that his Belly may turn a littleUp ; first clip away the Hair, and mark with Ink the Place for Section, draw-lI )g a Line two Fingers breadth below the Short-ribs ; cross the Abdomen atbght Angles to the Musculus reftus, beginning short of it a Finger’s breadth,a ud so carry it up the Length of three Finger’s breadth towards the Back ; thenrin-ust in a sharp Knife, like a Sow-gelder’s Knife, till you feel you have justPierced thro’ the Muscles and Peritonaeum, having a Care of the Guts ; thencer *P up freely, carrying on the Point of the Knife to the End of the Line; thenPbt in two Fingers, and while another presses down the Abdomen , draw outus Spleen just without the Wound, having a great Care of pulling it too farbecause of disordering the adhering Vessels within, the Stomach, the'“ a ul, the Arteries, and Veins; then either tie the Veins and Arteries with un~ri^in’d Thread, but strong, and in three or four Places, Caul and all, and0 cut them off close to the Parenchyma of the Spleen, and anointing the Ends^ the Vessels and Wound of the Caul with Balsam, or Oil of Hypericon, put."cm in their Places, or else fear off the Vessels, and anoint them with theEsice 0 f Sengrcen and Plantain beaten with Whites of Eggs; or else, cumfSucuio Diacalcitheos dissolv’d with Vinegar and Oil of Roses, especially the'Erve • then few up the Wound with the Suture call’d Gajlroraphia, leavingvk rile lower End room enough for Matter to come out, first anointing thejJ°und with Balsam, then fy Oki Mirsini & Rosarum, % ii. Cera alb. § i.

Ilord. H st. Boli Armeni. & Ferrœ Sigtllatet, ana Z vi. make a large•sister of this to cover the Wound, and all the Muscles about; swath his

p Belly