HERNIA. 427 



Inflammation of umbilical hernia may follow blows or bruises, 

 though such a result from these accidents is not a common one, 

 and its occurrence will naturally be accompanied with changes 

 in the appearance of the tumor, such as the usual phenomena 

 attending inflammatory action, as increase of temperature, ten- 

 derness or pain, cedema, etc., which may even at times so com- 

 bine their effects as to render the hernia irreducible. Engorge- 

 ments and strangulations, however, are very rare comphcations 

 of this form of hernia, a fact easily understood when it is con- 

 sidered that the neck of the hernial sac is formed by the umbihcal 

 ring itself. 



An exomphalus is usually an affection of httle gravity, and 

 often disappears spontaneously, or if it persists after the period 

 of weaning, is easily radically cured when the animal grows and 

 develops. Yet even if undisturbed and unchanged, they persist 

 in remaining, their existence is not incompatible with j)erfect 

 health and full ability to labor, however they may reduce the com- 

 mercial value of the animal. They are less injurious to young 

 animals than to adults, and less dangerous when small than when 

 assuming large dimensions. When simple, they are easily amen- 

 able to treatment, but if compHcated they become dangerous, es- 

 pecially so when the capacity of the ring is so disproportioned to 

 the dimensions of the protruding intestines that strangiilation be- 

 comes an accident of easy occurrence. Reducible hernia is at- 

 tended with but little hazard, while the danger arising from the 

 possible formation of adhesions in cases which have passed into 

 the irreducible class becomes a matter of very serious import. 



If it is an admitted fact that animals suffering with umbilical 

 hernia do often recover spontaneously, the recovery being a normal 

 incident of the natural development of the animal, due to changes 

 of position in the abdominal contents, not to specify other effi- 

 cient causes ; then the question of immediate or early interfer- 

 ence undoubtedly receives and justifies a negative answer. Our 

 own testimony is that we know of cases where patient waiting, 

 even for a period of twelve months, has been rewarded by the 

 radical disappearance of the hernia. But the objections to such 

 long waiting are of a tangible and serious nature, and surgical 

 interference becomes imperative and indispensable. The persons 

 are few who are able or willing to nurse an idle horse for a year 

 for the sake of saving him from the pain of an operation. 



