PECULIAR TO HORSES. 19 



the hand and fingers, the bowel is kneaded back again into the 

 abdominal cavity. Should the bowel or intestine not return readily, 

 a tackle, double and single block with a small rope^ must be fixed to 

 a beam above the posterior part of the animal; then hook the single 

 block into the hind hobbles, and raise the posterior parts from the 

 ground; this sends the contents of the abdomen forwards, towards 

 the diaphragm, and the imprisoned intestine usually recedes into 

 proper position. Should the bowel not return, after a fair trial, the 

 animal may be aetlierized ; while administering the tether, however, 

 the patient should be released from the tackle, and hoisted again 

 when in a state of OBtherization; after this the hernia is easily 

 reduced. 



Should, however, the case be a bad one, in consequence of a lapse 

 of considerable time since the period of the accident, or from the 

 presence of a portion of bowel distended with gas, forming a tumor 

 of' considerable magnitude, the operator must proceed to open the 

 scrotum and tunica vaginalis, and should a portion of bowel present 

 itself, much distended with gas, the bowel may be punctured in 

 several places with the point of a fine needle; these punctures will 

 allow the gas to escape, and the volume of the intestine is so reduced 

 that it usually returns, without any trouble, into its proper cavity. 

 Having reduced the hernia, the wooden clamps are to be placed on 

 the spermatic cord and secured; the testicle is then to be severed 

 from the cord. 



A case may now and then occur, which precludes the possibility 

 of a return of the intestine, after the above fashion, in consequence 

 of a thickened state of the walls of the gut; in such a case we have 

 to enlarge the inguinal ring with a probe-pointed bistourie, and after 

 the bowel has returned into the abdomen, castration must be per- 

 formed as just described, 



IShall ine remove both testicles P I usually invite the owner of the 

 horse to decide this question ; at the same time inform him that the 

 animal, unless a veiy valuable one, had better be completely emas- 

 culated. The loss of one testicle will not very seriously impair his 

 powers as a sire of progeny ; thei'efore, if the subject of this loss 

 be of good blood or stock, it is better to let the unafiected testicle 

 remain, for, as the old saying is, "blood will tell." 



OiT THE TREATMENT OF FEVERS. 



"fevers generally tend to their own cure." 



Mann, and several other authors of the modern school, contend, 

 that " The principal treatment that is necessary in disorders of this 

 kind, is, to let nature have ' fair play.' If the purest air is sup- 

 plied, the most perfect cleanliness is scrupulously observed, and 

 nothing is given or done that can continue the oppression of the 

 system, nature soon rights herself The excretory organs, step by 

 step, expil the offending matter from the blood, and the balance of 

 health is gradually restored. The low diet, the quiet, and other 

 valuable measures directed by medical science, all have the object 



