322 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



making a wound that is sure to suppurate profusely, when a much more 

 simple method, namely, that of including the scrotum in a plain clamp, 

 can be more easily performed ". He recommends, then, that when a hernia 

 is present the intestine should be "returned into the abdomen, and the 

 scrotum and its contents on the side of the hernia included in a strong 

 wooden clamp (not a caustic clamp) placed as close to the external ring 

 as possible, and the whole mass allowed to slough". 



While this destructive process is going on on one side of the instrument 

 a constructive one is going on in the vicinity of the inguinal canal, where 

 the structures above the clams are being united together, and the aperture, 

 closed against a recurrence of the mishap. 



It is most important that measures should now be taken to prevent any 

 recurrence of the accident. Before the animal returns to his stable pro- 

 vision should be made in the stall for raising the hind-quarters by under- 

 packing with peat or straw, or both, so that the bowels may be inclined 

 forward, and so directed away from the enlarged ring. Nothing but gruel 

 should be given for the first twelve hours, and the diet for the subsequent 

 forty-eight hours must contain but little solid matter. Bran scalded with 

 linseed-tea or oatmeal-gruel, and given as sloppy mashes, is the most 

 suitable aliment, to which may be added a little salt and malt meal. 



SCROTAL HERNIA 



This form of the disease exists when, instead of being arrested in 

 the inguinal canal, the displaced gut or mesentery descends through it 

 into the scrotum or purse. 



Scrotal hernia, like inguinal hernia, is sometimes congenital, and 

 especially in weakly foals, in which case it may either gradually disappear 

 as the animal acquires strength or assume a chronic state. 



It has been observed in many instances to increase in volume during 

 the first few months of the foal's life and then to diminish gradually, 

 the alteration being more or less coincident with weaning, and the substi- 

 tution of food less disposed to distend the abdomen than summer grass. 

 If the abnormality is not naturally remedied during the first eighteen 

 months of the horse's life it may be regarded as established or chronic. 



Animals affected with congenital scrotal hernia may continue to work 

 for years, and even to the end of their lives, without suffering any un- 

 toward result, but in those cases where it occurs in aged horses the 

 liability to strangulation of the imprisoned gut is greatly increased. 



This description of hernia is not always detected at birth, but may 

 become noticeable a few days or weeks afterwards. 



