708 DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES OF THE YOUNG ANIMAL. 



he claims solidity, fixity, and elasticity. This consists of a kind of well- 

 stuffed saddle, from the four corners of which pass leather straps, which 

 are buckled to two girths — one of which is of canvas webbing, and passes 

 round the chest ; the other, of india-rubber webbing, goes round the 

 belly, and maintains a pad against the umbilicus. This pad is a wide, 

 but not very thick cushion stuffed with horsehair, and which a broad 

 longitudinal band uniting the pectoral and abdominal girths prevents 

 from slipping backwards. In Italy, the Massiera truss is employed. 

 This is also a kind of small saddle with two wide girths passing under 

 the chest, that presses against the sternum and epigastrium a plate of 

 iron, the posterior extremity of which, corresponding to the umbilical 

 ring, and covered by a leather cushion stuffed with horsehair, is applied 

 to the seat of hernia. In Germany, Strauss's apparatus is in vogue. 

 This likewise consists of girths disposed in a similar manner, with a 

 kind of martingale to prevent them gliding backwards. If a pad is used, 

 Lafosse recommends that it should not be too convex or elevated in the 

 middle. 



rig. 224. 

 Armatage's Truss applied for Umbilical Hernia. 



Armatage advises the employment of a similar arrangement or harness, 

 which furnishes a compress at the proper part ; it is merely a number of 

 straps, capable of being shortened or lengthened, as may be necessary 

 in order to fit animals of different sizes (Fig. 224). 



It usually requires from one to three months to effect a cure, the 

 period depending chiefly on the size of the hernia. A tonic regime 

 hastens recovery. 



Some veterinary surgeons combine agglutinative agents with the use 

 of the truss — employing, for instance, a pad steeped in a mixture of 

 pitch and turpentine. 



Before the truss is applied, it is, of course, necessary to reduce the 

 hernia, and place the pad exactly over the umbilical opening. 



Trusses are chiefly objectionable from the long time thej'^ must remain 

 on the animal, and the tightness with which they must be applied in 

 order to act beneficially. This inconveniences and often injures the 

 young creature, and not infrequently causes it to fret, impairs its 

 appetite, and induces loss of condition ; and though highly recom- 

 mended by Ma riot, Lafosse, Perosino, Schreger, Strauss, Ungefrohrn, 



