Thus, during a period of between four and five years, this patient
had been tapped fourteen times ; and in that space had lost sixty-



78 ON ABDOMINAL TUMOURS.
eiglit gallons of the thick, glutinous fluid characteristic of tlus
disease.
Sectio cadaveris, February i^tJi, 1837. — The general aspect greatly
emaciated; no oedema in any part; the abdomen very large, but
not distended, appearing quite flaccid. On opening the abdomen to
the left of the umbilicus, nearly a bucket-full of turbid yellow-
fluid resembHng pus in appearance, and just like that which had come
away by tapping, was removed. On making an opening at the scrobi-
culus cordis, in the direction of the linea alba, another cavity showed
itself also, containing a fluid not very different, though somewhat
less turbid and thick than that in the chief cavity. About two full
wash-hand-basins of fluid were taken from this cavity.
On further examination, it appeared that the first cavity opened
was the chief cavity, and that from which the fluid had always been
drawn by tapping. It was a completely encysted cavity ; whereas
the other portion of fluid was contained in the cavity of the perito-
neum itseK. With respect to the encysted cavity, it appeared, on
minute examination, that it was a large cyst, arising from the situa-
tion of the left ovary, and having the Pallopian tube of that side
greatly elongated (not less than eight inches in length), attached
along its outside ; the fimbriated extremity being plainly seen at the
end.
