HERNI.E. 421 



than any other. It does not, as a rule appear to cause any 

 inconvenience, and is generally reducible. There is danger 

 of the hernia becoming strangulated ; but such danger is 

 slight. It may often be reduced by pressure. It is 

 recommended by some practitioners to apply a truss, or 

 an ordinary broad bandage extending around the body, in 

 such a way as to press upon the hernia ; the chief ob- 

 jection to these appliances being the difHculty of keeping 

 them in place. Plasters have also been recommended, 

 but may cause irritation. Another method pursued is 

 to return the bowel, pass skewers through the skin, and 

 apply a ligature around the skewer in the shape of the 

 figure eight. Clams are also used. It may be overcome 

 in all the ways mentioned. Another method, often prac- 

 tised with success, is to cut into the hernial sac, scarify the 

 edges of the abdominal opening, bring them together, secure 

 in place with catgut sutures, and place a bandage over all. 



Ventral Hernia. — This variety of hernia consists of the 

 protrusion of the whole, or a portion of a viscus through an 

 artificial opening in the walls of the abdomen. The pro- 

 trusion may be very small or very large. It is very rarely 

 caused by violent exertion, but occurs usually as the result of 

 direct injury, such as being gored by a cow, or jumping fences 

 and becoming impaled. The practitioner should always 

 search for these enlargements when examining a horse as 

 to soundness. In an old animal hernia may occur in conse- 

 quence of the abdominal muscles giving way without any 

 apparent cause for doing so. In opening abscesses in this 

 region the practitioner should be careful, as in case hernia 

 exists in connection with the abscess, the intestine may be 

 wounded, and death of the animal result in consequence. 



Treatment. — If small it is always advisable to refrain from 

 treating this variety of herniae, unless it becomes strangu- 

 lated, increases in size, or in some way interferes with the 



