RUPTURES. 159 



themselves, and it is a variety of situation that consti- 

 tutes the different species of rupture or hernia. 



(1.) Inguinal Rupture. — In the United States, the 

 male horses are mostly all castrated, which fact of it- 

 self accounts for the rare occurrence of this variety of 

 rupture, for the operation of castration completely closes 

 the inguinal ring or opening through which pass the 

 spermatic cord, testes, etc., thus preventing the possibi- 

 lity of rupture in that direction. When this kind of 

 rupture takes place, it is in stallions and uncastrated 

 colts, and requires for its cure the castration of the 

 horse or colt by what is called the covered operation, that 

 is, by leaving the tunica vaginalis, or inner covering of 

 the testes entire and uncut, and placing the clamps over 

 it, and allowing the testes or stones to fall off, or be re- 

 moved in two days from the time of operation. As soon 

 as this variety of rupture is observed, have the horse or 

 colt castrated at once. 



(2.) Scrotal RuPTURE.-^This variety of rupture is 

 entirely confined to the testicle bag, or scrotal sack, and 

 is also the affection of uncut horses, and is caused by re- 

 laxation of the fibrous tissue around the inguinal ring. 

 This is a kind of rupture which comes and goes, as if it 

 were in an intermittent affection. The rupture, or large 

 swelling, during rest will entirely disappear, and return 

 with exercise, and sometimes with violence ; and throwing 

 the horse into a fit of colic, w^ill sometimes induce strangu- 

 lation and death of the horse. Scrotal rupture is some- 

 times confined to one side only of the scrotum. If in time 

 the animal should not die from strangulation of the bowel, 

 the rupture will sometimes increase to an enormous size, 

 hanging far down, and filling up the space in and between 

 the hind legs. 



