Dear Sir:
—In the British Medical Journal of January 1, 1887, is a query regarding the use of cocaine in urethral caruncle, as to strength of solution, pain during and after operation, and whether the caruncle is removed by excision or cautery.In August, 1886, I was called to see Miss W., æt. 16, who had been lying helpless for one month with a urethral caruncle. She was lying on her back with the legs crossed, and unable to move on account of the pain. I applied a 5 per cent. solution of cocaine on absorbent cotton, and having no scissors with me, I trimmed a small twig flat, pushed it up under the caruncle to steady it, and removed the growth with one sweep of my pen-knife. The cocaine acted within five minutes, rendering the caruncle painless, and before I left the house the patient was out of bed