Umbilic Hernia 173 



the attention of the veterinarian, except in young bulls of 

 high pedigree. If the bull is an ordinary grade, or of low 

 pedigree, he is usually, and quite properly, sent to slaughter. 

 However, when a bull is of high pedigree and potentially of 

 great value, the owner often becomes anxious to have the 

 difficulty overcome by surgical interference. 



Umbilic hernia is a congenital defect due to an arrest in 

 the normal closure of the umbilic ring. As an arrest in 

 fetal development, it has the same significance for the breed 

 or family as other teratological defects. It signifies a fun- 

 damental organic weakness always threatening to be trans- 

 mitted to the progeny. Umbilic hernia is very difficult to 

 handle in the bull. The breeder usually defers the operation 

 until the rumen has attained a great weight. Then the sur- 

 geon is faced with a weight, which it is virtually impossible 

 to support by means of surgical appliances, bearing imme- 

 diately upon the operative area. In umbilic hernia of the 

 bull, the surgeon is denied his chief mechanical means of 

 support — the bandage — because the opening of the sheath 

 is immediately at the umbilicus, so that the bandage can not 

 be effectively applied without involving and obstructing the 

 sheath opening. As a result, when attempting to suture an 

 umbilic hernia in a bull, the bandage must be omitted or in- 

 effectually applied, and before healing occurs the sutures 

 usually tear away and carry with them portions of the her- 

 nial ring, making the opening larger than before. If the 

 surgeon undertakes to clamp or ligate the hernial sac, by 

 the time the incarcerated mass has sloughed away, the pres- 

 sure from above has stretched the tissues and formed a 

 new sac. If the hernia is operated on when the calf is but a 

 few days old, before the viscera acquire insupportable 

 weight, the surgeon may more readily succeed. Even then, 

 however, the fundamental weakness of structure is there, 

 and in my judgment the animal should not be used as a 

 sire. 



