308 HERNIA, OR RUPTURE. 



When the horse can be spared, a strong dose of physie is an excellent vermi- 

 fuge, so far as the long round worm is concerned ; but a better medicine, and 

 not interfering with either the feeding or work of the horse, is emetic tartar, 

 with ginger, made into a ball with linseed meal and treacle, and given every 

 morning half an hour before the horse is fed. 



A smaller, darker -coloured worm, called the needle-worm, or ascaris, in- 

 habits the large intestines. Hundreds of them sometimes descend into the 

 rectum, and immense quantities have been found in the coecum. These are a 

 more serious nuisance than the former, for they cause a very troublesome irri- 

 tation about the fundament, which sometimes sadly annoys the horse. Their 

 existence can generally be discovered, by a small portion of mucus, which, 

 hardening, is found adhering to the anus. Physic will sometimes bring away 

 great numbers of these worms, but when there is much irritation about the 

 tail, and much of this mucus, indicating that they have descended into the 

 rectum, an injection of linseed oil, or of aloes dissolved in warm water, will be 

 a more effectual remedy. 



The tape- worm is seldom found in the horse. 



HERNIA, OR RUPTURE. 



A portion of the intestine protrudes out of the cavity of the belly, either 

 through some natural or artificial opening. In some cases it may be returned, 

 but from the impossibility of applying a truss or bandage it soon escapes again. 

 At other times the opening is so narrow that the gut, gradually distended by 

 faeces, or thickened by inflammation, cannot be returned, and strangulated 

 hernia is then said to exist. The seat of hernia is either in the scrotum of the 

 perfect horse, or the groin of the gelding. The causes are violent struggling 

 when under operations, over-exertion, kicks, or accidents. The assistance of a 

 veterinary surgeon is here indispensable*. 



* The following case of operation for hernia ably lowered. A cathartic was given, and 



will be acceptable to the owner of horses as the sac ordered to be kept constantly wet with 



well as to the veterinary surgeon. It occurred cold water, and to be supported with a wide 



in the practice of Professor Simonds, of the bandage. She was placed on a restricted and 



Royal Veterinary College. We borrow his mash diet, 



account of it from " The Veterinarian." "On the next day, being honoured with 



" The patient was an aged black cart-mare, a visit by Messrs. Morton, Spooner, and 



that had been lent by the owner to a neigh- Youatt, I had the pleasure and advantage of 



hour for a day or two. I cannot speak posi- submitting the case to their examination, and 



tively as to the cause of the injury which she obtaining their opinion. They urged me to 



received, but I believe that it resulted from attempt to return the protruding viscera, and 



her falling in the shafts of a cart laden with secure them by a surgical operation ; and Mr. 



manure. She was brought to my infirmary Spoouer kindly offered to be present, and to 



on the next day, October 18, 1837. give me his valuable assistance. 



" The most extensive rupture I had ever " On the 24th, our patient was considered 



Been presented itself on the left side. The to have had sufficient preparatory treatment, 



sac formed by the skin, which was not broken, and she was operated upon. We availed our- 



nor even the hair rubbed off, extended as far selves of the opportunity of putting to the 



forwards as the cartilages of the false ribs, and test that which some among us had doubted, 



backwards to the udder. A perpendicular and others had positively denied, but which 



line drawn from the superior to the inferior bad always been maintained by our talented 



part of the tumour measured more than twelve chemical lecturer the power of opium to 



inches. It appeared, from its immense size lull the sensation of pain in the horse. We 



and weight, as if by far the larger part of the therefore gave her two ounces and a half of 



colon had protruded. the tincture of opium, shortly before she was 



To my surprise, there was comparatively led from the box to the operating house, and 



little constitutional disturbance. The pulse the power of the drug was evident through 



was 45, and full, with no other indication of the whole of the operation. 



fever, and no expression of pain ou pressing " After a careful examination, externally, 



the tumour. as well as per rectum, in order to ascertain 



u She was bled until the pulse was consider- the situation and probable size of the laceration 



