CONGENITAL SCROTAL HERNIA. 609 



breeding country, has ascertained, by a vast number of observa- 

 tions, that inguinal hernia is invariably present at birth, even in 

 abortions and in subjects still-born. 



After hirth. — Hernise making their appearance a few days after 

 birth are also to be included in the class of " congenital." In 

 these cases the gut becomes hernial in the same manner in which 

 it does in adult age ; it slips through the peritoneal aperture at 

 the ring, and either drags down the testicle along with it, or else 

 follows that organ in its descent ; the testicles in ordinary cases 

 not descending prior to the sixth or seventh month. The experi- 

 enced practitioner above named, M. Linguenard, calculates that 

 about one-fourth of the Norman colts are foaled with scrotal 

 hernia ; but that in the majority of them it disappears in the 

 course of growth. In the Recueil de Medicine Veterinaire for 

 July 1828 appears the following: — These swellings (scrotal 

 hernise) occasionally make their appearance in the scrotum of 

 the colt a few days after birth. Sometimes they occupy one side 

 only of the bag ; occasionally both are distended. In a few 

 instances the scrotum becomes as large as a child's head : these 

 are true scrotal hernise. A portion of intestine has descended 

 into the scrotum. Bandages and topical applications are per- 

 fectly useless, or worse — producing irritation and pain. At 

 an uncertain period the swelling begins spontaneously to dimi- 

 nish, and at length entirely disappears. When it occupies 

 both sides of the scrotum, it goes back more tardily ; and the 

 retraction of one side seems to be quite independent of that of 

 the other. 



Causes. — It is worth while to inquire if the hernise, prior to 

 birth, originate from causes similar to those that occasion it in 

 after age. Certain movements of the^ full-grown foetus appear 

 very likely to produce hernia, especially at a time when the 

 inguinal apertures and passes are so lax as almost to invite 

 entry; indeed, both the ring and inguinal canal in the foetus 

 appear proportionably larger than in the adult, and evidently 

 possess more extensibility. The parietal parts — the fibrous 

 aponeurosis of the abdomen, the borders of the external ring, 

 the dartos, and the cremaster — being all as yet but imperfectly 

 developed, possess little power to oppose hernia. No sooner has 

 the foetus left the womb, however, than these several parts by 

 degrees acquire strengtli, until they attain energy sufficient to 



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