The cysts of wen., especially those of the ntheromatous kind, vary much in thickness. When situated on the bezel, back, and trunk, they are very dense; but when on the face, often very thin. Sometimes the cysts become hardened b' the deposition of cartilaginous and even osalfic matter. It /3 from this process that many of them cysts have a tendency to assume the hardness and oven the form of horns. These horny formations are however the result of the ulceration of the cyst, and the horny matter is produced by the secretion from the walls of the cyst. These horns mostly grow on the forehead or some part of the scalp. They are generally small, but instances are on reconl of their being eight or nine inches long and two or three in circumference.
In ordinary eases the cyst has only one cavity, but it not =fre quently happens that there are partitions in it, dividing its interior into cells of different sizes. The contents of the cysts are, ns before stated, frequently very anomalous. Some are filled with a thin, fetid, brown fluid, mixed with flakes of the fibrinous parts of the blood ; some contain serum ; some a matter of gelatinous consistence ; some a calcareous matter ; some a black fluid ; and others hair, teeth, and other organic substances. Those containing hair are meetly found in the neighbourhood of the eyebrows or eyelids.
On dissecting these tumours, some part of their surface is found firmly adhering to the skin, while other parts are connected with it by cellular membrane. The cyst is always more or less embedded in cellular membrane. In seine elms these cysts are congenital, and persons who have them are frequently troubled with a great number in various parts of their body.
In the treatment of wens two modes may be had recourse to; the one by puncture, the other by removal. When the cyst is small and presents a small black point on its centre, it may be opened and the contents pressed out, when it will sometimes get well. But it frequently happens when these tumours tiro punctured, that severe inflammatory action is the result, so that painful suppuration occurs, and life is put in danger, and sometimes a bleeding fungus has pro truded itself through the aperture. The safest mode of treatment on the whole is to remove them with the knife, where their situation will permit of it. When this is done, the cyst may either be dissected out entire, or it may be cut into two halves, and each half may be dissected out separately. In both cases great care should be taken to remove the whole of the cyst.