25 
REPORTS 
«*N «• 
OF CASES. 
SUCE8SFUL OPERATION FOR VENTRAL HERNIA. 
* 
By John T. Unektt, D.V.S., Milwaukee, Wis. 
The case I wish to report was that of a three-year-old 
brown mare, standard bred, property of Mr.-, druggist. 
Animal had hernia for one and a half years, and during that 
time was treated by seven veterinarians. On being called I 
advised, and a few days later performed the following opera¬ 
tion : 
Hernia was in the left side, a little above the stifle joint, 
the rend in the abdomen being about three and one-half 
inches. It could be easily reduced by manipulation. 
Animal was prepared in usual way for casting, hair was 
clipped over the rupture and for some space around it, then 
washed with a solution hydrarg chlor., and instruments steri¬ 
lized in a solution of carbolic acid. As the stifle covered the seat 
of operation after animal was cast, it was necessary to straight¬ 
en the leg and secure it in position. A four per cent, solu¬ 
tion cocaine was injected at various points, an incision about 
six inches long made through the skin, and dissected back 
somewhat. On examination it was found necessary to scarify 
the edges of the muscles, which were then brought together 
with silk sutures. “ The catgut I intended to use proved to 
be of inferior quality,” the ends of which were left long and 
brought through the opening of the skin, which was stitched 
with interrupted sutures with drainage below. Iodoform and 
pulv. acid borici was introduced once daily with an insufflator, 
thus keeping the wound thoroughly aseptic. A pad saturated 
with a solution carbolic acid was placed over the wound and 
kept in position by a many-tail bandage, tightly applied around 
the abdomen. Animal was kept standing, and fed on crushed 
oats with no hay stall. 
After two weeks I found the muscles had united, so a 
curved probe-pointed bistoury was introduced and sutures 
severed and removed, the bandage and pad being continued 
for two weeks more, and in six weeks the animal made a nice 
recovery. 
I would state that in my opinion the bandage around the 
