RUPTURE, OR INTESTINAL HERNIA. 405 



be turned upon his back, and in that position maintained by 

 trusses of straw, while other trusses are placed under him to 

 raise the croup. With both arms well oiled, or covered with 

 some mucilaginous decoction, the operator will now com- 

 mence his exploration, taking the precaution of emptying 

 the rectum as he proceeds. As soon as he shall have ascer- 

 tained that it is a case of hernia ; have assured himself 

 the gut protruded through the ring is undergoing neither 

 stricture nor strangulation ; he may endeavour to disengage 

 the hernial part, by softly drawing it inward within the 

 cavity, at the same time pushing it in the like direction 

 with the hand within the sheath. Should he experience 

 much difficulty in these attempts, he is to desist ; violence 

 being too often the forerunner of strangulation and gan- 

 grene. He must bear in mind, also, that although the re- 

 duction is effected, unless it be followed by immediate cas- 

 tration, it does not always prove to be a cure : the protru- 

 sion recurs after a time, and occasionally even the moment 

 the animal has risen. If the taxis should be fortunate 

 enough to reduce the hernia, and it be not intended to 

 castrate the horse, apply a well-wadded pledget, or folded 

 cloth, to the part ; this may be retained with a bandage 

 crossed between the legs from side to side, and fastened by 

 one part under the belly to a girth ; and also passing be- 

 tween the legs, it may be again made fast to the back por- 

 tion of the same girth ; the intention of this is, to prevent 

 the protrusion of the gut by the exertion of rising, and 

 consequently it should be removed as soon as that danger 

 is over. If a radical cure were attempted, of course the 

 clams would supersede this, either in the stallion or gelding. 

 And, concerning the treatment of strangulated hernias in 

 geldings. Inguinal hernia taking the same course, is suscep- 

 tible of the same terminations, and requires the same treat- 

 ment, as in stallions. The taxis is to be employed, and 

 will be used with most effect, the operator (the horse 

 lying upon his back) extending the hernial sheath with one 

 hand, while he manipulates with the other ; or, should this 

 fail, by instructing his assistant to hold up the hernial 

 mass from the belly, so as to take its pressure off the ring, 

 and thus give him an opportunity to renew his efforts with 

 more effect. In some cases, the introduction of one hand 



