296 
A TREATISE ON INGUINAL HERNIA. 
to the elevation of the pelvis, which is said to predominate in the 
female; both these circumstances having a tendency to incline the 
bowels forward against the diaphragm. 
I.—OF RECENT ENTEROCEEE. 
• 
This first variety of intestinal hernia almost always makes its appearance 
abruptly, and hastens on to become strangulated. Rarely, however, its 
descent is slow and imperceptible, in which case the hernia continues a 
longer or shorter time in concealment, not becoming detectible until it has 
made certain progress and given rise to certain indicative disorder. The 
symptoms marking its presence are, indisposition to work, head elevated, 
appetite impaired. Suffering increasing, he breathes deeply, paws and turns 
himself in different postures in trying to obtain relief: at times the symp¬ 
toms resemble those of over-fatigue. Occasionally the gut returns of 
itself, and the animal all at once is restored to ease, without our even having 
known the cause of his disquietude; rarely, however, is it that a first is not 
followed by a second protrusion, that by a third, and so on, until the hernia 
becomes permanent, and progressively acquires considerable volume. 
Generally speaking, we may trace the accident to some sudden 
effort or extra exertion, and it is always judicious to make this 
inquiry. Every respiratory effort, the very expressions of pain 
themselves, have a tendency to augment or confirm the disease. 
Knowing this, it will be our care in the inteiYal of quietude (under 
the impression of a spontaneous reduction having taken place) to 
avoid every cause of disturbance. 
At every relapse the same symptoms re-appear; then the pulse becomes 
thready, the eyes red, pupils dilated; inflammation invades the irritated 
parts ; slight colics, continued or intermittent, come on; the testicle on the 
hernial side is dravn up, irregularly descending and ascending with more 
or less force, according to the pain experienced; a pathognomonic symptom 
demanding the most serious attention, and one that ought to prompt the 
veterinarian to examine into the state (natural or intumescent) of the ingui¬ 
nal canal. 
In this manipulation, which can leave no doubt about the presence of 
bubonocele, both hands are employed ; one is introduced into the rectum, 
the other into the shealh. The one within the rectum must seek the inter¬ 
nal ring; while the other, pursuing the course of the chord on the side 
affected, is to be pushed up to the external ring; and thus, in the natural 
state, the opposed fingers may be made nearly to meet, and so estimate the 
size of the opening. However small the protruded portion of gut, the prac¬ 
titioner will be able to detect the bubonocele, and even to reduce it, by pro¬ 
ceeding secundum arteniy and taking the necessary precautions, to be here¬ 
after pointed out. This exploration may be made in the standing posture; 
but it will be conducted with more facility and certainty if the animal be 
cast, w hich is by far the preferable mode of proceeding. 
This is a branch of surgery about which, among our veterinari¬ 
ans, so little appears to be known, or at least is one so seldom if 
ever put into practice, that it opens to us quite a new field of 
operation. We may be told, that we have no occasion to make 
