INGUINAL HERxNIA. 381 



between the gut and sac in horses, Girard 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 HERNIA.— This, the most frequent but the least 

 dangerous species of hernia, is an attendant on birth, augmenting up to 

 the third or six month ; after that diminishing, and ultimately disappear- 

 ing. 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 ; for 

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

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



In the Foetus in Utero inguinal hernia is present, M. Linguenard, 

 V.S., who has practised for twenty years in Normandy, a great breeding 

 country, has ascertained, by a vast number of observations, that inguinal 

 hernia invariably exists at birth, even in abortions and in subjects still- 

 born. 



After Birth. — Hernias 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 descending prior to the sixth or seventh month. 

 The experienced 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 follow- 

 ing : " These swellings (scrotal hernise) occasionally make their appear- 

 ance 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 herniae. A portion of intestine has descended into the 

 scrotum. Bandages and topical applications are perfectly useless, or 

 worse — producing irritation and pain. At an uncertain period the 

 swelling begins spontaneously to diminish, and at length entirely disap- 

 pears. 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." 



