DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 67 



in equal parts is good. Mucilaginous injections into the rectum may 

 be of service for a few days. 



Hernia, or rupture. — There are several different kinds of hernias 

 that require notice, not all of which, however, produce serious symptoms 

 or results. Abdominal hernias, or ruptures, are divided into reducible, 

 irreducible^ and atrangidated^ according to condition; and into inguincd., 

 scrotal, ventral, umbilical, and diaijhraginaiic, according to their situ- 

 ation. A hernia is reducible when the displaced organ can bo returned 

 to its natural location. It consists of a soft swelling, without heat, 

 pain, or any uneasiness, g'enerally larger on full feed, and decreases 

 in size as the bowels become empty. An irreducible hernia is one that 

 can not be returned into the abdomen, and yet does not cause any pain 

 or uneasiness. Strangxdajted hernia is one where the contents of the 

 sac are greatly distended, or where from pressure upon the blood 

 vessels of the imprisoned portion the venous circulation is checked or 

 stopped, thereby causing congestion, swelling, inflammation, and, if 

 not relieved, gangrene of the part and death of the animal. Accord- 

 ing to the time or mode of origin, hernias may be congenital or 

 acquired. 



Congenital scrotal hernia. — Not a few foals are noticed from birth 

 to have an enlarged scrotum, which gradually increases in size until 

 about the sixth month, sometimes longer. Sometimes the scrotum of 

 a six-months-old colt is as large as that of an adult stallion, and 

 operative treatment is considered. This is unnecessary in the great 

 majority of cases, as this enlargement often disappears by the time 

 the colt has reached his second year. Any interference, medicinal or 

 surgical, is worse than useless. If the intestine contained within the 

 scrotum should at any time become strangidated, it must then be 

 treated the same as in an adult horse. 



Scrotal liernia is caused by dilatation of the sheath of the testicle, 

 combined with relaxation of the fibrous tissues surrounding the 

 inguinal ring, thus allowing the intestine to descend to the scrotum. 

 At first this is intermittent, appearing during work and returning 

 when the horse is at rest. For a long time this form of hernia may 

 not cause the least uneasiness or distress. In course of time, however, 

 the imprisoned gut becomes filled with feces, its return into the 

 abdominal cavity is prevented, and it becomes strangulated. While 

 the gut is thus filling, the horse often appears dull, is disinclined to 

 move, appetite is impaired, and there is rumbling and obstruction of 

 the bowels. Colicky symptoms now supervene. Strangulation and 

 its consequent train of symptoms do not always follow in scrotal 

 hernia, for often horses have this condition without suffering incon- 

 venience for years. 



Inguinal hernia is but an incomplete scrotal hernia, and, like the 

 latter, may exist and cause no signs of distress, or, again, it may become 



