202 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



sists it may be treated by washing out with hot water, by 

 crushing or ligating the blood vessel or by packing for 

 twenty-four hours with absorbent cotton. Cases of rup- 

 ture due to an enlarged inguinal canal require more skill 

 than is ordinarily possessed by the herdsman, but some 

 develop sufficient skill to handle such cases. 



Tumors are rather common as a complication follow- 

 ing castration. When present they must be dissected 

 out. Abscesses are treated in a similar manner, and the 

 main thing is to keep them open and washed out with 

 a disinfectant. In some cases only one testicle comes 

 down in the scrotal sac, or neither may come down. Such 

 cases are called cryptorchids and require an abdominal 

 operation, in which skill is required. 



Spaying. — A few years ago spaying was practiced to 

 some extent in swine herds, but now but few are spayed. 

 This comes largely from the fact that a little more skill 

 and care are required in the operation than in castration, 

 and from the fact that we now market our sow pigs in- 

 tended for slaughter at an early age. This operation is 

 justified only in rare cases, and should be avoided as 

 much as possible. 



Hernia or rupture. — There are three kinds of hernia or 

 rupture — umbilical, scrotal and ventral. All involve that 

 condition in which a part of the intestines or omentum 

 pass through the abdominal wall into a pocket in the skin. 

 The umbilical hernias so common in pigs are generally 

 congenital, although they may result from an injur}^ The 

 scrotal hernias result from an overly large inguinal canal. 

 Ventral hernias result from protrusion of the intestines 

 as a result of a tear or injury in the abdominal wall. 



