44 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
they ever occurred in the new-born or young animal their con¬ 
genital origin could not be doubted, but as they are seen only 
in older animals it is, indeed, very evident they are always 
acquired through violence. 
Kicks, horn-thrusts, collisions with blunt objects and parturi¬ 
tion are the more common special causes. The dog is frequently 
ruptured from the kick of a brutal master, and while the horse 
and ox are less liable to sustain such a breach from the same 
cause, we know of one instance in which a cow was frightfully 
ruptured by the kick of its milker. When the abdomen is dis¬ 
tended by food or pregnancy, a trivial thrust, which would other¬ 
wise do no damage, mav suffice to fissure the muscles. The 
domestic animals are exposed to all manner of violence, and 
their viscera being supported largely by the walls, gravity 
naturally favors hernia formation when the walls are w r ounded. 
The violent muscular contractions of parturition is often 
referred to as a cause of ventral hernia in the region of the 
udder. 
The common location of ventral hernia is along the costal 
margin, anywhere from the last rib to the sternal cartilage ; 
along the linea alba or in the prominent part of the abdomen 
between the stifle and the ribs. 
Diagnosis .—Ventral hernias vary both in shape and size. In 
shape they vary from well-defined tumors to flattened, shapeless 
swellings, while in size they are seen from the size of a small 
egg to that of a bushel measure. The old hernia is easily 
diagnosed. They are non-inflammatory, compressible, fluctuat¬ 
ing, and generally reducible, and the orifice can readily be felt 
on palpation. The recent tumefaction, accompanied with the 
usual oedema, is, however, a more difficult proposition. The 
swelling prevents satisfactory manipulation of the orifice, and 
the obscure fluctuation, if any, may be serum, or blood as well 
as intestines. The veterinarian can do no better than treat all 
recent tumefactions resulting from violence on the expectant 
plan until the inflammatory action no longer masks the real 
condition. When located in the posterior part of the abdominal 
cavity, rectal explanation may reveal the orifice, but in no case 
must an incision be made for diagnostic purposes. Such a 
course is dangerous on account of the unavoidable sepsis which 
would follow, and besides the detection of hernia by an incision 
would then demand an immediate radical operation more likely 
to result seriously than if left alone. In dealing with recent 
injuries to the abdominal wall the veterinarian needs only wait 
