are over fifty years old, and were made to treat one or more cases of anal or rectal stricture by Dr. James L. Wellington, of Swansea, a village memorable from colonial times, and situated a few miles from Fall River. Surgical supply houses were far away, or perhaps, even if accessible, would not have had suitable instruments ; and the doctor's own ingenuity met the demand. The bougies, which, it will be noted, are of roughly graduated sizes, are made of old-fashioned diachylon wound about a

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... e. Further stretching was accomplished by the dilator, which is really a clever bit of construction from wood and metal, and works somewhat on the principle of the modern Otis urethral dilator. It might even now be used for the purpose for which it was intended and produce equally satisfactory results. Dr. Wellington improvised instruments^f or work in other lines, but these were of interest of course to the proctologist. The doctor is still living in his ninety-sixth year and active, mentally and physically, and still doing some office work. Of further interest too, is the fact that he is now the oldest graduate both of the Harvard Medical School and of the Harvard academic department. Yours truly,