Treatment of Rupture. 245 



Treatment. — The gCLeral treatment of rupture is as 

 follows : — 



"When the gut can be returned to the abdomen, a pad, 

 such as a smooth jiiece of wood, should be placed over the 

 part, and kept in position by a firm leather or rubber band- 

 age, which will not slip, and which can be tightened. This 

 should be worn for months, until the rent is healed. 



When the hernia is inflamed and strangulated, the animal 

 should be chloroformed to insensibility, and gentle and re- 

 23eated efforts made to return the parts. This will often 

 succeed if intelligent and persistent efforts are used. When 

 returned, cold lotions should be applied, and a well-fitting 

 bandage. 



In case return is impossible, and the distress is severe, the 

 skin must be opened down to the sack, taking great care not 

 to cut into it, and a blunt-pointed bistoury be slipped up be- 

 tween the gut and the edges of the rent or slit in the abdomi- 

 nal walls and these edges cut and nicked very slightly, 

 thus allowing the gut to be replaced. This is a safe, easy 

 and successful operation, if one is well acquainted with the 

 anatomy of the parts ; but should only be tried as a last re- 

 sort, in otherwise hoj^eless cases, by a person w^ho has no 

 special knowdedge of the kind. 



CHOKING. 



This accident is, in the horse, usually caused by some arti- 

 cle of food, as a potatoe, apple, or piece of dry fodder, lodg- 

 ing in the gullet. A common substance in England to cause 

 choking is an Qgg, many grooms there having the absurd 

 idea that an Qgg given whole has a beneficial effect on the 

 horse's condition. 



The symptoms in choking are violent efforts at sw^allowing, 

 with the throat and neck spasmodically drawn up. Some- 

 times the offending substance is visible to the eye, or to be 



