tion; the bowels can here be felt entering the internal abdominal 

 ring. 



Treatment of Inguinal Hernia. If the reader can be sure of 

 the existence of hernia, he should secure the horse upon its back, 

 and, with a hand in the rectum, endeavor to catch hold of the 

 wandering bowel and pull it gently back into the cavity of the 

 abdomen. Pressure should be made upon the scrotum during this 

 time. If these means fail a veterinarian must be called to reduce 

 the hernia by means of incising the inguinal ring, replacing the 

 intestines, and castrate, using clamps and performing the covered 

 operation. 



Ventral Hernia. In this form of hernia the protrusion is 

 through some accidental opening or rupture of the abdominal wall. 

 It may occur at any part of the belly except at the umbilicus, and 

 is caused by kicks, blows, hooks, severe jumping or pulling, etc. 

 Ventral hernia is most common in pregnant mares, and is here due 

 to the weight of the fetus or some degenerative changes taking place 

 in the abdominal coats. It is recognized by the appearance of a 

 swelling, at the base of which can be felt the opening or rent in 

 the abdominal tunics, and from the fact that the swelling contain- 

 ing the intestines can be made to disappear when the animal is 

 placed in a favorable position. 



Treatment of Ventral Hernia. In many instances there is no 

 occasion for treatment, and again, where the hernial sac is extensive, 

 treatment is of no avail. If the hernia is small, a cure may be 

 attempted by the methods to be described in treating of umbilical 

 hernia. If one is fortunate enough to be present when the hernia 

 occurs, and particularly if it is not too large, he may, by the proper 

 application of a pad and broad bandage, effect a perfect cure. 



Umbilical Hernia is the passing of any portion of the bowel or 

 omentum through the navel, forming a tumor at this point. This 

 is often congenital in our animals, and is due to the imperfect 

 closure of the umbilicus and to the position of the body. Many 

 cases of umbilical hernia, like inguinal and scrotal of the congenital 

 kind, disappear entirely by the time the animal reaches its second 

 or third year. Advancing age favors cure in these cases from the 

 fact that the swinging support of the bowels is proportionally 

 shorter in adults than in foals, thus lifting the intestines out of the 

 hernial sac and allowing the opening in the walls to close. Prob- 

 ably one of the most frequent causes of umbilical hernia in foals is 

 the practice of keeping them too long from their dams, causing 

 them to fret and worry, and to neigh, or cry, by the hour. The 

 contraction of the abdominal muscles and pressure of the intestines 

 during neighing seem to open the umbilicus and induce hernia. 

 Accidents may cause umbilical hernia in adults in the same man- 

 ner as ventral hernia is produced, though this is very rare. 



Treatment of Umbilical Hernia. In the treatment of umbil- 

 ical hernia it should be remembered that congenital hernias are 

 often removed with age, but probably congenital umbilical hernias 

 less frequently than others. Among the many plans of treatment 



