■US 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



HERNIA OR RUPTURE. 



Hernia or rupture, is the displacement of 

 some of the abdominal contents, from the 

 cavity outwards, by some of the natural or by 

 some artificial openings. The intestines are by 

 far the most common of the abdominal viscera. 

 When such protrusion takes place through an 

 opening, and the protruded part can be readily 

 returned, it is considered as reducible hernia; 

 if the opening be too small, of course it becomes 

 irreducible. If the mouth of the sac around 

 the intestine constringes, and produces inflam- 

 mation of the gut, it then forms what is called 

 strangulated hernia, and sometimes proves 

 fatal, unless relief be promptly obtained. .,. 



From the position of the Horse, stallions' 

 are frequently affected with scrotal hernia, for 

 the scrotal cavity remaining open to the abdo- 

 men, the intestine frequently descends ; but 

 this is not the case with geldings, for the 

 absorption that has taken place after castration, 

 almost prevents the possibility of scrotal 

 hernia. In India, these scrotal hernias are 

 almost a daily occurrence, and especially with 

 Horses which have violent action to perform, 

 and are of a loose weak nature. Castration 

 is not general in India, ar.d the relaxing state 

 of the climate I consider to be the principal 

 cause ; but it is attended not only with incon- 

 venience, but great danger. 



Omental hernia is exceedingly common in 

 India ; and I once performed the operation of 

 castration on a Horse, and to my astonishment 

 the omentum protruded itself, which, after 

 having put on the clams, I allowed it to do ; 

 I then introduced my finger into the sac, and 

 as far as I could feel up, ripped it off, it might 

 be about two feet long, the Horse did well. 

 Accidents, violent exertions, kicks, gores from 



neat cattle may produce ventral liernia in any 

 part of the cavity, and they form a pouch or 

 sack. Horses may die from strangulated 

 hernia, the death of which may be attributed 

 to simple enterites or any other cause. I once 

 had a case of a black Horse, belon^ins: to 

 Messrs. Blake, of Devonport, placed under my 

 care ; they had just come from 'I ruro in 

 Cornwall, (they having several establishments 

 at different towns, within ten and twenty miles 

 of Devonport) ',.. they were in the habit of 

 driving fast, to cover so much ground ; the 

 Horse came into the stable, but soon evinced 

 symptoms of enterites ; I bled the Horse to 

 aljOut six quarts, ordered gruel with glisters, 

 as if for enterites, with orders to call me at 

 two o'clock, if the Horse was not better; it 

 proved so, the man came and stated the Horse 

 was as bad as ever ; I then prescribed counter 

 irritation, but all to no effect, the Horse died 

 about six o'clock in the morning ; on opening 

 him, I found a strong ligamentous cord, as 

 thick as my finger, inserted into the peritoneum, 

 and continued up to the messentery, equally 

 strong inserted to that body. Now by some 

 violent exertion, either in going up or down 

 the hills of that neighbourhood, the intestines 

 had been thrown over this cord, and could 

 not replace themselves, and strangulation was 

 the consequence, clearly shewing that violent 

 exertions produce the disease. But to re- 

 turn to our subject. 



Most cases of reducible hernia, originating 

 in accident to the walls of the abdomen, can 

 only be supported by bandage, the great force 

 of the abdominal muscles, and our inability to 

 confine the animal perfectly still, while the parts 

 unite, prevent their permanent reduction. 



But with scrotal liernia, we have a much 

 greater advantage, allhoiigh the temporary 



