4T8 
ON SCROTAL HERNIA. 
the human subject, at least I have both seen and heard of more 
instances; and the reason is obvious,—the abdominal ring is 
always open : if, indeed, it was closed, as in geldings, hernia 
would be less frequent than in the human subject. The affection 
is not confined to military horses, for it has been known to exist 
in others. Exertion is the chief, and, I believe, almost only 
cause, but I knew it once to be produced by constipation; even 
here the exertion used in expelling the faeces must, I think, be 
said to be the cause. When it takes place in the field, cavalry 
exeicise ground, or riding schools, the animal sometimes shows 
symptoms of illness on the spot, but generally he returns as if 
nothing occurred, and in the course of a few hours begins to look 
dull, and appears weak about the back and loins: this is suc¬ 
ceeded by pain in the abdomen; he lies down, frequently rolls, 
looks at his flanks, his pulse is a little quickened, and, in fact, he 
exhibits all the symptoms of spasmodic cholic, with this difference, 
that there is no remission of pain, the scrotum of the affected side 
is large, and the testicle appears to be drawn up. By feeling the 
chord, it will be at once perceived there is something extraneous 
protruded. 
In this stage of the disease a large quantity, generally from five 
to eight or ten quarts of blood should be drawn from the jugular 
vein; then let him be thrown down, turned on his back, and kept 
so by means of a few tight bundles of straw properly placed at 
each side : by throwing the rope of the hobbles over a collar-beam, 
he can be more easily kept in the wished-for position. The leg' 
of the affected side being first of all loosened from the others, 
and drawn a little backwards, and having applied a little sweet 
oil to the scrotum, to admit of easy friction, the testicle should be 
grasped by the left hand, and the fore-finger and thumb of the right 
should be constantly, and with considerable force, compresssed 
along the chord from the testicle towards the ring, for the space 
of at least one hour, unless reduction takes place in a less time. 
This “ taxis/’ as it is termed, if persevered in judiciously, will 
succeed in nine cases out of ten, particularly if there has been a 
sufficiency of blood extracted to relax the muscles. Should there 
be an occasion, which there very seldom will, if the above taxis 
be properly conducted, the tobacco enema, and the application of 
ice to the parts, as recommended by Mr. Percivall in page 62 of 
his second volume, might, I think, be attended with benefit; at 
all events, it would be advisable to tiy them prior to the perform¬ 
ance of an operation which I am presently to describe. When 
the hernia is reduced, the animal will instantly cease struggling, 
and remain perfectly quiet; then, after a lapse of a few minutes, 
he should be allowed to turn on the side opposite the affected one, 
