HERNIA, OR RUPTURE. 69 



at the base of which can be felt the opening or rent in the abdominal 

 tunics, and from the fact that the swelling containing the intestines 

 can be made to disappear when the animal is placed in a favorable 

 position. 



Treatment of ventral hernia. — In many instances there is no occa- 

 sion for treatment, and again, where the hernial sac is extensive, treat- 

 ment is of no avail. If the hernia is small, a cure may be attempted 

 by the methods to be described in treating of umbilical hernia. If 

 one is fortunate enough to be present when the hernia occurs, and 

 particularly if it is not too large, he may, by the proper application 

 of a pad and broad bandage, effect a perfect cure. 



TJmbilical hernia is the passing of any portion of the bowel or 

 omentum (" caul ") through the navel, forming a " tumor " at this 

 point. This is often congenital in our animals, and is due to the im- 

 perfect closure of the umbilicus and to the position of the body. 

 Many cases of umbilical hernia, like inguinal and scrotal of the con- 

 genital kind, disappear entirely by the time the animal reaches its 

 second or third year. Advancing age favors cure in these cases from 

 the fact that the omentum (swinging support of the bowels) is pro- 

 portionally shorter in adults than in foals, thus lifting the intestines 

 out of the hernial sac and allowing the opening in the walls to close. 

 Probably one of the most frequent causes of umbilical hernia in foals 

 is the practice of keeping them too long from their dams, causing 

 them to fret and worry, and to neigh, or cry, by the hour. The con- 

 traction of the abdominal muscles and pressure of the intestines dur- 

 ing neighing seem to open the umbilicus and induce hernia. Acci- 

 dents may cause umbilical hernia in adults in the same manner as 

 ventral hernia is produced, though this is very rare. 



Treatment of tunbilical hernia. — In the treatment of umbilical 

 hernia it should be remembered that congential hernias are often 

 removed with age, but probably congenital umhilical hernias less fre- 

 quently than others. Among the many plans of treatment are to be 

 mentioned the application of a pad over the tumor, the jDad being 

 held in place by a broad tight bandage placed around the animaPs 

 body. The chief objection to this is the difficulty in keeping the pad 

 in its place. Blisters are oft«n applied over the swelling, and, as 

 the skin hardens and contracts by the formation of scabs, an artificial 

 bandage or pressure is produced that at times is successful. Another 

 treatment that has gained considerable repute of late years consists 

 in first clipping off the hair over the swelling. Nitric acid is then 

 applied by a small brush, using only enough to moisten the skin. 

 This sets up a deep-seated adhesive inflammation, which, in very 

 many cases, closes the opening in the navel. Still another plan is to 

 inject a solution of common salt by means of the hypodermic syringe 

 at three or four points about the base of the swelling. This acts in 



