THE DISEASES OP CATTLE. 241 



a tumor beneath the common integument. This tumor may exist 

 for some time without affecting the animal's health, but when 

 it increases in size, so as to be bulky, or becomes strangulated, 

 an operation must immediately be performed. In performing 

 the operation, however, it must be borne in mind that the pro- 

 truded bowel has pushed before it a portion of the peritoneum 

 (the lining membrane of the cavity of the abdomen). There- 

 fore the intestine is contained in a sac, which • should 9^0 be 

 returned along with the intestine, into the abdominal cavity. 



The mode of operation in cases of ventral hernia, is to cast 

 and etherize the animal ; a semilunar incision is then made 

 over the tumor, the convex border of the flap being downwards ; 

 the panniculus carnosus (subcutaneous muscle), or superficial 

 fascia, is also divided ; a probe-pointed bistoury is then intro- 

 duced between the bowel and edge of the wound. This must 

 be dilated or made sufficiently large to allow the return of the 

 intestine. The rent in the muscles is then to be strongly su- 

 tured, and one end of the suture should be left long enough to 

 hang out of the wound ; the integuments are then to be brought 

 together in the same manner, after which dress the wound 

 with tincture of aloes. In the course of eight or ten days a 

 pull may be made on the ends of the deep-seated sutures, to 

 see if they are ready to come away, yet it is best not to remove 

 them until they are quite loose. 



It is impossible in a work of this character to furnish the 

 reader with all the information necessaiy to meet the emergen- 

 cies which may occur in the various forms of hernia ; for their 

 management and treatment require more than ordinary skill, 

 and many persons who consider themselves competent to. pre- 

 scribe for the ordinary diseases of cattle, are willing to ac- 

 knowledge themselves at fault when consulted on the subject 

 of rupture ; and lest my own remarks on this subject may prove 

 of little avail in furnishing the husbandman, in the hour of 

 need, the necessary instruction, I introduce the two following 

 cases, selected from the London Veterinarian. 



Mr. James Stowar furnishes the following case of stran- 

 gulated hernia : — 

 21 



