UMBILICAL HERNIA. 397 



loose sldn, and apply a ligature. This had the double effect 

 of removing the superfluous skin, and producing adhesive 

 inflammation of the sides of the sac ; and, in a general way, 

 the cases did well. Occasional^, however, death ensued, 

 eitlier from peritoneal inflammation or locked jaw. Think- 

 ing a safer mode of treatment might be adopted through the 

 influence of pressure, from having known cases in the human 

 subject cured simply by wearing a truss, I was determined 

 to put it to the test. Accordingly, I had a kind of truss 

 apparatus made for the purpose, w^hich I am happy to say 

 has proved successful in many cases. It consists of a com^ 

 mon girth, properly sloped to the body, having a stiff piece of 

 oval-shaped leather introduced inferiorly, to come in contact 

 with the rupture. This should be buckled on moderately tight, 

 and retained in its situation, as follows : — Place a common 

 collar on the animaFs neck, to which three straps are 

 attached, one on each side, and the other at the brisket. 

 Two pieces of webbing should be attached to the main girth, 

 with buckles at the opposite end, to meet the side straps, 

 and a piece of leather, instead of webbing, to meet the 

 brisket one. This latter should be forked or split, part of 

 the way, so as to admit of its being attached to the oval 

 piece of leather covering the rupture. These are then to 

 be buckled to the three straps coming from the collar, by 

 which means the main girth is effectually held in its proper 

 position. Over the whole a common circingle may be placed, 

 just behind the elbows (the usual girthing place), in order 

 to keep the apparatus snug and close to the body. 



^' The animal thus harnessed should be turned into a 

 loose box, and fed well, the object being to force the system 

 as much as possible. The best time for applying the truss 

 is when the animal is taken off the mare. In a general 

 way, about three months^ wear of the truss will be found 

 sufficient to effect a cure. The modus operandi appears to 

 be this : — pressure keeps the bowel within the abdomen, 

 thereby giving the aperture an opportunity of closing, which 

 in many cases it will do most completely. But, even should 

 it not, you may depend upon it not getting larger. The 



