554 TREATMENT OF INGUINAL HERNIA IN SWINE. 



the ligature, which should be rather thick, applied as high as possible, 

 and drawn moderately tight, but not sufficiently to cut through the 

 tunica vaginalis, which might lead to prolapse of the bowel. To 

 avoid this danger Stockfleth sutured the skin, whilst Gerlach inserted 

 a deep interrupted suture. 



Should the hernial contents be adherent to the tunica vaginalis 

 they must be carefully separated, injury to the bowel being avoided. 

 A case of Eberhardt's shows that even incision into the bowel is 

 not always fatal in pigs. Meyer, in cutting through an adhesion, 

 left a portion of tunica vaginalis adherent to the bowel, but had 

 good results. On account of such adhesions the operation is usually 

 more difficult in castrated animals than in boars. The second 

 testicle may be removed at the same time. Stockfleth recommends 

 examining the inguinal ring first ; when this is too small to admit 

 the finger, the usual method of castration may be adopted, other- 

 wise the covered operation is preferable. In double-sided perineal 

 hernia? in sucking pigs, both testicles may thus be simultaneously 

 removed. 



Imminger describes the following method which he has practised 

 for thirty years. In uncastrated sucking pigs the scrotum is opened 

 as in the covered method, and under antiseptic precautions ; the 

 testicle, together with the spermatic cord and vaginal tunic, is then 

 twisted around its long axis, forming a spiral, whilst a finger, inserted 

 into the canal, assists the operation. As soon as the twisting has 

 extended as far as the outer inguinal ring the hernial contents will 

 be found to have returned to the abdominal cavity, and the spermatic 

 cord, still covered by the vaginal tunic, is ligatured with silk as close 

 to the outer ring as possible. The ligatures should not be drawn 

 too tight. The skin wound is sutured. 



Should the hernial contents be adherent to the sac, or should the 

 pig have been castrated and an abscess have formed in consequence, 

 the vaginal tunic is opened, the adhesion broken down or the abscess 

 opened, and the operation completed as above. 



Old ruptured boars are castrated by the covered operation, clams 

 being used, and either left until they fall off spontaneously, which 

 occurs in one to two weeks, or after a similar time removed. The 

 clams, which should be rather small, must be used on both sides, 

 even though the rupture be only one-sided. Degive opens the tunica 

 vaginalis to make sure of the complete return of the bowel, and applies 

 the clam as high as possible. 



After operation, the animals are placed in a dry stall provided 

 with clean straw, and for some time receive short rations. Local 



