258 The Fa/riner's Veterinary Adviser. 



the neck. Or in slight cases blister the sac severely and 

 repeatedly ; or apply wooden clamps over the skin close, up 

 to the belly, having first perfectly returned the protrusion, 

 and let them be worn until they drop off. 



Inguinal Hernia occurs in the male quadruped of any age, 

 as the sac containing the testicle remains continuous with the 

 abdomen throughout life. It is rare but by no means un- 

 known in the castrated animal. It may exist without any 

 other symptom than an unnatural swelling of the scrotum, the 

 contents movable on themselves, the thickening extending up 

 to the abdomen, and the whole disappearing suddenly and in 

 a mass when pressed. Or these signs may be associated with 

 the violent and continuous colicky pains of obstruction. In 

 all cases of colic in entire males the possibility of hernia 

 should be borne in mind and an examination made. 



Treatment is very varied, in difficult cases requiring ana- 

 tomical knowlege and attention to many minutite which can- 

 not be given here. Tet in many cases the hernia may be re- 

 turned by simple pressure with the hand, with or without the 

 other hand inserted into the last gut and carried down to the 

 internal inguinal ring. If the patient is thrown on his back 

 with his hind parts well raised the return will be greatly 

 facilitated. In pigs and dogs castration should be resorted to, 

 the gut being first returned and held back by pressing upon the 

 canal in front of the testicle, and finally the wound in the skin 

 sewed up. Or the testicle covered by its sac may be stripped 

 to pass the bowel back into the abdomen and then tied tightly 

 with a carbolated cord. For particulars of treatment of the 

 various forms of inguinal hernia see the author's larger work. 



Femoral Hernia in bitches rarely demands or receives 

 treatment. 



Yentral Hernia is easily distinguished from other swell- 

 ings of the abdominal walls by the movable gurgling con- 

 tents entirely returnable into the abdomen by pressure. 

 Though often masked by surrounding inflammation these 

 characters can usually be recognized. Treatment is most 

 successful just after the injury is sustained, as after the 



