496 HERNIiE. 



treatment is always a serious matter, and should only be attempted 

 in the case of valuable breeding animals, or those which cannot be sold 

 for slaughter. 



Young animals are kept without food for twenty-four hours and 

 are cast on the side opposite the hernia ; they can be placed on the 

 right or left side, or on the back, as seems most convenient. The 

 site of operation is disinfected, and the operation carried out with 

 aseptic precautions. The skin covering the swelling is incised and, 

 the margins of the hernial orifice having been examined, the sac is 

 isolated. Next, an incision is carefully made, any adhesions which may 

 exist are broken down and the herniated parts are reduced. It only 

 remains to suture the wound with silk or catgut, bringing the lips of 

 the fissure together. Finally the skin wound is firmly united, and a 

 large suspensory bandage tightly applied. 



If the hernia is of long standing, and is irreducible on account of 

 numerous adhesions, operation may still be attempted. In that case 

 the incision must be an inch or two longer, all adhesions should be 

 destroyed, and the margins of the orifice need to be freshened so as 

 to insure their uniting. 



During the days following operation, the animals should have light 

 food, principally gruel, mashes and cooked roots. But it must be borne 

 in mind that this operation is serious, and may possibly be followed by 



eventration. 



DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA. 



The term diaphragmatic or mediastinal hernia denotes a condition 

 in which certain of the abdominal viscera penetrate into the thoracic 

 cavity. This displacement may be congenital, acquired, or accidental. 



The accidental hernise are of traumatic origin, and are often caused 

 by fractured ribs, which injure the diaphragm. The hernia is then 

 purely diaphragmatic. 



Congenital or acquired herniae are more frequently mediastinal ; they 

 occur exactly in the median plane as a consequence of fissure of the 

 diaphragm above the ensiform cartilage, and cause a separation between 

 the two layers of serous membrane enclosing the posterior mediastinum. 



The region immediately behind the diaphragm in the ox being 

 occupied by the large viscera — namely, the anterior conical portions 

 of the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the liver — diaphragmatic 

 or mediastinal hernia is far from being common, though occasionally 

 it may be discovered or at least suspected. 



Causation. The causes of diaphragmatic and mediastinal hernia 

 are closely connected with injuries in the region of the hypochondrium ; 

 with arrest in the development of the diaphragm ; or with accidental 

 vertical fissuring consequent on gestation or acute tympanites. 



