TREATMENT OF INCARCERATED INGUINAL HERNIA. 
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vaginalis, and by introducing the finger to make sure of the absence of 
intestine or omentum. To prevent injury, the intestine must be separated 
with the greatest care. For this purpose the scissors are most useful; 
and if possible the border of the adherent bowel should be found, and 
where this cannot be clearly made out, a portion of the processus can be 
left adhering to the surface of the bowel and the two replaced together. 
Pieces of omentum may be ligatured with sterilised material and cut off, 
or they may be included in the clams without danger. It is also advisable 
to partially or wholly rotate the processus vaginalis, or to apply a small 
pair of clams as high as possible within the wound, allowing their weight 
to be carried by the skin. Strecker, in operating on a gelding, used a 
ligature to close the processus vaginalis. 
(B) TREATMENT OF INCARCERATED INGUINAL HERNIA. 
This must be carried out as early as possible, and in conformity with 
the general precautions mentioned under “ Treatment of Strangulated 
Hernise.” 
The horse is carefully cast, chloroformed, and laid on its back, the hind 
quarters being higher than the fore, which Jessen effects by laying the 
fore-part in a hollow; the hind-legs are bent, and, if possible, the leg of the 
affected side is drawn outwards and backwards. One then endeavours, 
by pressing on the neck of the hernial sac, and by drawing and turning 
as described (vide loc. cit.), to effect taxis, the testicle meanwhile being 
drawn forward. Reposition may be effected by introducing the hand into 
the rectum and cautiously pulling on the parts in the inguinal canal, but 
caution must be used in manipulating the hernial sac, and the older the 
strangulation the greater the care required. 
After complete reduction, the animal is allowed to roll on to the sound 
side ; the hobbles are loosened, and if the animal remains quiet, it may be 
allowed to lie fora quarter to half an hour, though it must not be forcibly 
prevented from rising. 
If, after trying for half an hour, reduction cannot be effected, hernio¬ 
tomy is usually the only resource. For this purpose anaesthesia should 
be reinduced or rendered complete ; the hoofs of the hind-legs caiefully 
cleansed and covered with moistened cloths, and the hair and under¬ 
surface of the legs also moistened to prevent dust falling on the point 
of operation. If the latter has been cleansed, disinfected, and all the 
requirements of antisepsis complied with, the skin and tunica daitos aie 
carefully cut through as far as the base of the scrotum and separated 
from the processus vaginalis with the fingers, assisted by scissors, up to 
the spot where the neck of the hernial sac appears most markedly 
strangulated. This point lies in the inguinal canal an inch oi so below 
