Diaphragmatocele — Diaphragmatic Heryiia — Phrenic Hernia. 361 



buffers of cars, the end of' a gate and the gatepost, projecting ends 

 of bars or beams against whicli they run, kicks by horse or ox, 

 blows by the horns of cattle or tusks of boars. In the smaller 

 animals in addition to the above, blows with heavy clubs and 

 kicks with heavy boots. In all such cases there is usually a frac- 

 ture of one or more ribs, the sharp broken ends of which are 

 forced into the diaphragm, which they tear when they again 

 spring outward. The same occurs as the result of falls on hard 

 projecting bodies of any kind. 



2nd. Muscular Strain. In heavy draught the fixing of the 

 glottis, ribs and diaphragm and the extreme contraction of the 

 abdominal muscles often lead to extraordinary tension of the mus- 

 cular septum by the mere violence of which, or when there is super- 

 added a sudden shock, (in plunging in harness, or di.splacement of 

 the feet or slipping and falling,) the diaphragm is torn, usually 

 in its tendinous portion, and the abdominal viscus protrudes into 

 the chest. If the diaphragm is momentarily relaxed the lesion 

 may take place in the peripheral muscular portion. In still other 

 cases the lesion is at one of the natural openings. The same 

 accident occurs in animals thrown for operation, the abdominal 

 vi-scera being full, the hind limbs drawn forward so as to further 

 compress the bell3^ and the muscles being subjected to violent 

 contraction in the efforts to get loose. Violent straining in 

 dystokia is another cause which, however, usualh^ partakes of a 

 sudden shock on the diaphragm when a violent pain sets in. 



3rd. Sudden Shocks on the diaphragm, and pressure by 

 the abdominal organs. In the horse especially the weight of 

 the abdominal viscera is very great and the floor of the abdomen 

 inclines downward and forward so that the whole mass presses 

 with great force against the concave diaphragm. In cattle the 

 great weight of the stomach and liver is especially important and 

 in dog and pig of the liver mainly. In trotting or galoping down 

 hill or jumping from a higher to a lower level, or in slipping back 

 on the fore feet so that the horse falls on the knees or shoulders, 

 this pressure is suddenl}- greatly enhanced and the tense diaphragm 

 may give way in its tendinous portion or the relaxed organ 

 through its muscular tissue. A similar danger attends on the 

 violent straining which attends on difficult cases of parturition, 

 and even in cases of overloaded stomach and tympany and 



