TWINE IN LIEU OF THE ELASTIC LIGATURE FOR PERFORMING GASTROENTEROSTOMY.

During the past winter two innovations have been practiced at the surgical laboratory of Columbia University. They consisted in the carrying out of suggestions¹ made in a previous communication from the laboratory, to-wit: First, that gastroenterostomy might be successfully practiced with the use of a triangular instead of a quadrangular stitch; and second, that the material for inserting the stitch might be twine instead of the elastic ligature.

Weir objected to the technic as originally devised by McGraw, because he feared that the patency of the opening might be affected by bridges of tissue establishing themselves between the margins of the siit. He said that if a method could be found by which the elastic could be made to "punch out," it would stem to be ideal. Two students of the Columbia Medical School finally perfected the stitch. They were Messrs. Kussler and Thomas, and they should receive full credit