Page:The Hog.djvu/137

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135
INVERSION OF THE BLADDER HERNIA.

INVERSION OF THE BLADDER.

A sow littered in the morning and brought forth ten pigs without any apparent difficulty, and immediately afterwards something resembling the bladder, and which appeared to be about half full, came out. The owner seeing that it did not come away, became alarmed and sent for the pig-butcher, who said it was the womb, and that it must be put back, which he accordingly endeavored to do, and having passed two or three stitches of small twine across the labia to retain the parts, left the animal. Mr. Neale, V. S., of Burbage, happening to hear of the occurrence, called to see the sow. He found the vagina considerably protruded, or at least that there was a protrusion of the size of a man's fist, and in a sloughing state, there. She appeared, however, in good condition, got up without apparent pain or difficulty, and was suckling her young well. The urine was flowing drop by drop. As the owner declined having any thing done to her, Mr. Neale ordered the parts to be bathed with a decoction of bark. Four months afterwards she was killed for bacon, and weighed 160 lbs. Upon opening her the uterus was found to be perfectly healthy, the vagina as clean as possible, and the tumor reduced by sloughing to the size of a lemon; the bladder was completely gone. The kidneys were full of white purulent matter of about the consistence of cream. The uterus led directly from the kidneys to the protruded part, at the inside of which, and just below the anus, was a formation of matter about the size of a hen's egg. There was not the slightest trace of inflammation, in any of the surrounding parts.

PROTRUSION OF THE RECTUM.

This is an evil of not unfrequent occurrence in swine, arising chiefly from obstruction of the intestines. Where the cause is simply obstruction, an operation will remedy it; but as the obstruction is too frequently attended with rupture of some of the intestines, it will perhaps be as well to have the animal slaughtered at once, especially if it is in tolerably good condition.

HERNIA.

There is little doubt but that umbilical and congenital hernia are of frequent occurrence among swine; but as yet the attention devoted to the diseases of these animals has been so slight that we dare not venture positively to assert the fact.