612 HERXIiE, ETC. 



in this way, the practitioner is to desist, violence being too often 

 the forerunner of strangulation and gangrene. This operation is 

 called the Taxis ; it is recommended by M. Girard, Mr. Percivall, 

 and others. I am, however, of opinion that it is very often an 

 objectionable method of procedure, endangering the animal's life, 

 by causing gangrene of the imprisoned intestine ; and from the 

 excessively lacerable condition of the rectum, generally asso- 

 ciated with hernia, there is great danger of its walls becoming 

 ruptured, no matter how careful the veterinary surgeon may be. 

 It must also be borne in mind that although reduction may be 

 effected by the Taxis, without the occurrence of rupture of the 

 rectum, or the infliction of so much injury to the strangulated 

 intestine as to cause gangrene, notwithstanding the opinion of 

 some practitioners, I maintain that the operation is incomplete 

 unless it be followed by castration ; for, without this, the protru- 

 sion is likely to recur, and may even do so immediately after 

 the animal has risen. It is, therefore, better to castrate the 

 animal, being careful not to wound the intestine ; and the covered 

 operation, namely, that method by which the tunica vaginalis 

 reflexa is left uncut, is that recommended by Percivall and others. 

 My own opinion on the subject will be found in the chapter on 

 Castration. 



The covered operation is performed as follows: — The skin 

 and dartos muscle are to be carefully separated from the tunica 

 reflexa until the hernial sac is fully exposed to view; an 

 incision, sufficiently large to introduce the finger, is then to be 

 carefully made into it. When this is done, the operator is 

 to pass his finger into the opening, and discover the stricture ; 

 then he is to introduce a strong " histouri cache'' along his 

 finger into the stricture, and divide it, taking care to keep the 

 back of the bistoury towards the imprisoned bowel. In many 

 cases when the canal is thus dilated the bowel will slip into 

 the abdominal cavity with very little trouble; but should a 

 large quantity of intestine be imprisoned, it will be necessary 

 to enlarge the opening in the tunica reflexa to an extent suffi- 

 cient to allow fhe bowel to be pulled out and gently unravelled 

 before it can be returned. 



The return being effected, the scrotum, including the skin, 

 cord, and its tunics, are to be enclosed in a plain clam, which 

 is to be left on until it sloughs off. Without this precaution 



