608 



HERNLE, ETC. 



which retraction sometimes is attended with a gurgling noise. 

 Should it be deemed advisable to examine into the state of 

 the inguinal canal, its openings will be found to be more or less 

 dilated and encumbered ; and this is an infallible proof of the 

 existence of hernia. 



" One diagnostic more I would add, which seems to have escaped 

 the observation of our learned author; and that is, the self- 

 expansion of the swelling under the effort of coughing. Grasp 

 the tumour with one or both hands, softly but closely, and then 

 let another person cough the horse, and the swelling will be 

 found suddenly to expand under the effort, and as quickly to 

 recedo again. Might not this criterion supersede the trouble- 

 some business of exploration per rectum et vaginam penis ? 



" Morbid Conseqitences. — In almost all chronic hernise we meet 

 with serous effusion, either into the cavity of the tunica vaginalis, 

 or into the cellular tissue uniting the hernial coverings. Morbid 

 thickening of the tunics is a much rarer occurrence, and one of 

 which M. Girard has seen but few examples. The comparative 

 rarity of cases of adhesion between the gut and sac in horses, 

 (rirard thinks, may be ascribed to the non-employment of 

 artificial pressure, by trusses and bandages, as in man. Mr. 

 Charles Percivall, however, informs me that the occurrence is by 

 no means so uncommon in India, where castration is much 

 practised at a late ^period of life!' 



CONGENITAL SCROTAL HERNIA. 



This, the most frequent, but the least dangerous species of 

 hernia, is an attendant on birth, augmenting up to the third or 

 sixth month, after that diminishing, and ultimately disappearing. 

 Should it continue without lessening in volume for a year 

 or eighteen months, it may be considered as, and is in fact 

 become, a chronic or permanent scrotal hernia. In case the 

 swelling, however, instead of being always the same, at intervals 

 diminishes, and continues so to do, more sensibly as time 

 advances, it will in the end recede altogether ; and though it 

 return again at times, still, the relapses growing less marked or 

 frequent, at last the gut will enter the ring no more. 



In the foetus in utero inguinal hernia is found. M. Linguenard, 

 y.S., who has practised for twenty years in ^N'ormandy, a great 



