279 
Contemporary Progress of Veterinary Science 
and Art. 
By John Gamgee, M.R.C.V.S., 
Lecturer on Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, London. 
( Continued from p. 225.) 
Inguinal Hernia. — In the 4 Belgian Annals of Veteri- 
nary Medicine/ for last May, is published a report by a 
student, Haagen, of a case of inguinal hernia occurring in the 
horse, which had been under the care of Professor Delwart. 
On the 20th of November, 1854, M. Lambotte, farmer, at 
Waterloo, took a three-year-old entire horse to the College 
Infirmary to be treated for a soft elastic tumour situated in 
the left inguinal region. The swelling was about the size of 
an infant’s head, and, though perfectly reducible, somewhat 
interfered with the horse’s action. It was a clear case of non- 
strangulated inguinal hernia. 
From its size, fears were entertained by Professor Delwart, 
as to whether, in performing the usual covered operation for 
hernia, a sufficiently strong bond of adhesion would be 
obtained to support the gut within the abdomen, and prevent 
a relapse. The professor, therefore, resorted to another plan, 
that is to say, of reducing the rupture, and applying a pair of 
iron clams, purposely constructed, over both cords and scro- 
tum. The clams were about a foot long by two inches broad, 
and slightly convex. They are composed of two equal blades, 
about a line in thickness which correspond by one of their 
borders, and are capable of being opened or closed at will by 
two screws, one at each extremity. The clams thus present 
a small surface of pressure with considerable strength and 
fixity ; in short all the necessary conditions for exercising a 
firm, equable, and complete compression.* 
It was on the 2d of December that Professor Delwart 
performed the operation, having had recourse to etherization 
to diminish the consequent pain, do away with the strong 
muscular contractions, and thus to operate more handily. 
Barring a little constitutional excitement, two hours after the 
performance of the operation, no derangement occurred. 
* It is very clear that Professor Delwart’s clams are a modification of 
the usual iron clams, used in castrating with the red hot iron. What in 
the usual clams constitute the handles, are in Delwart’s, simple extensions 
of the blades, with a screw at either end. It would appear advantageous to 
me to have a hinge at one extremity. 
