292 HERNIA.. 



the effort, and to recede as quickly again. The practice 

 known as coughing a horse consists in making him cough by 

 compressing his larynx, with a finger and thumb, one on each 

 side. This chronic form of hernia is accompanied by the transu- 

 dation into the scrotmu of a greater or less amount of serum, 

 which, when in excess, causes dropsy of the scrotum (hydrocele). 

 A certain degree of chronic inflammation set up in the part, will 

 lead to thickening of the tissues, and to the fornaation of adhe- 

 sions. The tumour sometimes attains an enormous size : in fact 

 I have seen, in hot climates, the scrotum from this cause, hang 

 down as low as the hocks. The tumour is liable to become 

 engorged and consequently inflamed, in which case it will be ac- 

 companied by colic and other symptoms of distress. 



Bonnigal in the " Recueil de Medicine Veterinaire," 1892, men- 

 tions cases of chronic inguinal hernia of geldings in which the 

 omentum (the connecting membrane of the intestines) after having 

 descended through the inguinal canal, united with the wound in 

 the scrotum, and thus caused uneasiness, pain, and disinclina- 

 tion to take exercise. The adhesions thus formed may give rise 

 to a condition not very unlike scirrhous cord. In many instances, 

 this adhesion does not in any way incommode the animal. 



Probably the chief CAUSE of chronic ingiiinal hernia is 

 abnormal size of the superior inguinal ring, under which con- 

 dition, the intestine or its connecting membrane will be liable 

 to descend into and through the inguinal canal without force 

 being used, and consequently without much danger of strangula- 

 tion being incurred. This form of hernia frequently exists at 

 birth, continues dm'ing early youth, and disappears with age. It 

 may be brought on by the calibre of the superior inguinal ring 

 having been unduly enlarged by forcible distension, or by incision 

 during an attempt to reduce an acute inguinal hernia. As in hot 

 climates, chronic inguinal hernia is frequent among old entires, 

 though rare among young ones and those in their prime (say, 

 horses up to ten years of age); I cannot help thinking that in 

 many of these cases, it is induced by the combined relaxing in- 

 fluences on the tissues, of old age and heat. 



In the TREATMENT of cases of colic and uneasiness from en- 

 gorgement of a chronic inguinal hernia, we may, while the patient 

 is standing up, or more easily if he is on his back, unload the loop 

 of intestine, and return it (or its connecting membrane) by taxis 

 (p. 287). As advised by Peuch and Toussaint, we should not 

 operate, unless ^cute symptoms set in, if the animal is less than 

 fifteen months old ; because the chronic inguinal herniae of foals 

 usually disappear with advancing age. We should also refrain 



