350 
W. F. DERR. 
earned out. The mule at the time I first saw him, at 9 a.m., was 
furious—biting at everything within his reach. A pail of water 
was put on a wheelbarrow and shoved near him, but instead of 
trying to drink, lie seized the wheelbarrow and pulled it away 
from the man who was holding it. In about twenty minutes he 
ecame more calm, although perspiring continually and passing 
slight quantities of urine at short intervals. He died that after 
noon about four o’clock. 
VENTRAL HERNIA. 
By W. F. Derr, V.g. 
On the 4th of June, 1882, I was consulted about a four-year- 
old colt that had received an injury by getting staked on a 
ence two years ago. The abdominal muscles were lacerated to 
a certain extent at the time of the injury, but as the hernial 
sac was enlarging, the owner thought that there might probably 
something be done for it. r J 
The hernia extended as far forward as the cartilages of the 
alse ribs, and back towards the sheath, measuring eleven inches 
m ength, five in breadth, and protruding to the extent of about 
nve inches. 
After first warning the owner that the operation was a dan¬ 
gerous one, and he consenting to have the animal operated on I 
proceeded as follows: 
The animal being in a healthy condition, I merely kept him 
oft feed for a few days, in order to get the abdominal cavity as 
empty as possible with laxatives, etc. 
On the 7th of June I had him placed under chloroform, got 
nm on 11S back > and ma de an incision carefully through the 
integument into the sac, right through the centre of the hernia, 
seven inches in length. The sac was partly filled with omentum, 
of which I removed a portion with the ecraseur. The walls of 
the hernia were very much thickened and smooth. 
I had a sponge soaked in a weak solution of carbolic acid, and 
then pressed out and placed in the abdominal cavity. I then 
