VENTRAL HERNIOTOMY. 
305 
between the contents and the sac, and occasion great difficulty to the 
operator ; and whilst he must be prepared for this, he should use the 
greatest care in endeavouring to break them down. The external 
operation (vide “ External Herniotomy ”) sometimes succeeds, but not 
always, the inner hernial envelope, which has been retained in the 
hernial opening by means of the purse-string ligature, sometimes failing 
to become adherent and the hernia reappearing later. In general, the 
larger the aperture the slighter is the hope of cure. 
Incarcerations may sometimes be reduced by steady pressure fiom 
without, and assistants may even be entrusted with the treatment. It 
has been stated that in ruptures occurring in the posterior poition of the 
abdomen, reposition may be assisted in large animals by passing the 
hand into the rectum. 
Gerlach and Schmiele operated on a dog suffering from fractured ribs and 
a hernia containing part of the liver. A firm but compressible swelling, 
almost as large as a man’s fist, had suddenly appeared in the left subcostal 
region. The hernial sac was divided, one lobe of the liver, which was found 
between the ribs, was replaced, the wound sutured, and a cure effected. 
The mare shown in fig. 132 foaled without any help, in spite of the extensive 
nature of the rupture, the animal instinctively lying on the abdomen ; it was 
then, however, killed, and the post-mortem showed that the straight abdomma 
muscle was ruptured a hand’s-breadth in front of the os pubis, and that an 
aperture existed, measuring 20 inches in one, and 24 inches in the other 
direction. Both the oblique and transverse abdominal muscles were torn 
away. In the rupture lay a great part of the caecum, its point directed back¬ 
wards. Connective tissue had formed in all directions in laige quantities, 
and the fascia of both thighs was greatly thickened as far down as the hocks; 
lameness had not been observed during life. _ 
Guitard operated on a ventral hernia containing a portion of the abomasum, 
by incision through the flank. After thrusting back the abomasum the 
muscles were brought together, a dressing and compress applied, and t le case 
terminated successfully. , , 
Cadiot and Dollar describe a ventral hernia m the left flank caused by a 
blow from the handle of a windlass. The abdominal tunic was ruptured 
opposite the stifle, and slightly above this point the muscles were torn 
through leaving the herniated small intestine only covered by skin. 
After incision the hernia was reduced, the muscles and aponeuroses united 
by two separate lines of silk sutures, the skin was brought togetier an a 
dressing applied. In less than a month the wound had healed and the hernia 
was cured. Clinical Veterinary Medicine and Suigeiy, p. )• 
XI.—PELVIC HERNIA, INTERNAL ABDOMINAL HERNIA, 
PERITONEAL HERNIA, “ GUT-TIE ” (HERNIA 
INTERNA ABDOMINALIS). 
This affection occurs most frequently in hilly regions, like Switzer¬ 
land, but has been seen in England and Denmaik. Though first 
described by Oesterlen, it was left to Ankei to explain the natuie of 
