256 



A DICTIONARY. 



well-wadded pledget, or folded cloth, to the 

 part ; this may be retained with a bandage 

 crossed between the legs from side to side, 

 and fastened by one part under the belly to 

 a girth ; and also passing between the legs, 

 it may be again made fast to the back por- 

 tion of the same girth ; the intention of 

 this is, to prevent the protrusion of the 

 gut by the exertion of rising, and conse- 

 quently it should be removed as soon as 

 that danger is over. If a radical cure were 

 attempted, of course the clams would su- 

 persede this, either in the stallion or gelding. 



And concerning the treatment of strangu- 

 lated hernia in geldings. Liguinal hernia, 

 taking the same course, is susceptible of 

 the same terminations, and requires the 

 same treatment as in stallions. The taxis 

 is to be employed, and will be used with 

 most effect, the operator (the horse lying 

 upon his back) extending the hernial sheath 

 with one hand, while he manipulates with 

 the other ; or, should this fail, by instructing 

 his assistant to hold up the hernial mass 

 from the belly, so as to take its pressure off 

 the ring, and thus give him an opportunity 

 to renew his efforts with more effect. In 

 some cases, the introduction of one hand 

 into the rectum becomes necessary. The 

 reduction of the hernia should be followed 

 up immediately by the application of the 

 clams, if we unite with the reduction an 

 attempt at permanent cure of the hernia ; 

 taking care, at the time, to draw out the 

 part of the scrotum to which the vaginal 

 sheath is adherent, and to push up the 

 clams as close as possible to the belly ; they 

 are then to be closed, as for castration. 



Of congenital hernia, our limits allow of 

 little more than the mention; nor need 

 more be detailed, as its consequences are 

 seldom injurious. It appears that inguinal 

 hernia commonly exists in the fcetus in 

 utero. M. Lineguard, V. S., of Normandy, 

 where breeding is very extensively pursued, 

 has ascertained that enterocele is invariably 

 present at birth ; even in abortions, and in 

 subjects still-born. The congenital enter- 

 ocele is an attendant on birth, increasing up 

 to the third or sixth month, but afterwards 



diminishing, and ultimately vanishing. 

 Should it continue beyond a year or eight- 

 een months, it is to be regarded as a clironic 

 or permanent hernia. Chronic or perma- 

 nent hernia, it may be remarked, our obser- 

 vations being so much limited to geldings, 

 we see little of Castration, however, with 

 the armed clams, is the evident cure. 



Strangulation of the Intestines, or Morbid 

 Displacement of the Intestines. The intes- 

 tines, in consequence of their peristaltic 

 motion, become sometimes entangled to- 

 gether, and a fatal strangulation takes place; 

 this happens, occasionally, from some of 

 the mesenteric folds entwining them ; some- 

 times by their rupturing the mesentery, and 

 becoming strangulated by passing through 

 the opening they have made : but it is much 

 oftener the consequence of spasmodic ac- 

 tion, and during colic these inversions, invo- 

 lutions, invaginations, and introsusceptions 

 occur. When thus affected, it is not un- 

 usual for the ileum to become reversed in 

 its usual course ; in which case, a portion, 

 then contracted by spasm, becomes forced 

 into a part less constringed, and an impen- 

 etrable obstruction thence is formed. We 

 may draw a practical inference from these 

 cases, — that in spasm we should attempt 

 an early relief ; and likewise that we should 

 endeavor, in all cases of failure in bowel 

 affections, invariably to make ^post-mortem 

 examination : and this we may do on the 

 ground that repeated cases may enable us 

 accurately to interpret symptoms ; then, al- 

 though we cannot relieve, we may offer 

 such an opinion as will convince our em- 

 ployers it is not our ignorance of the signs, 

 but our circumscribed means, which is the 

 cause of our inability to afford assistance.* 



Mortification. — A part deprived of 

 vital force, by causes inducing a loss of tone. 



Moulting. — Casting the coat. In spring 

 the old coat is shed, or thrown off, and the 

 horse gradually improves in spirit and in 

 appearance ; but, during the change, he is 

 more liable to take cold. In the latter part 

 of the year, the coat becomes longer d.nd 



* Blaines' " Outlines." 



