ure is more common in men than in women. It may occur at any
time of life. The majority of cases occur before middle age, and the
largest number during the first ten years of life, owing to the want of
closure of the peritoneum which is carried down by the testicles before
birth. Rupture is most frequently strangulated between the ages of forty
and fifty.

Location.--The great majority of cases of rupture are groin or inguinal
rupture.

Symptoms.--A fullness or a swelling is first noticed in the groin, which
is made worse in standing, coughing and lifting. This disappears on lying
down and reappears on rising in many cases, even at first; coughing makes
the lump or swelling harder. It may come on both sides, when it is called
double rupture or hernia.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Rupture, Poultice for.--"Take equal parts of lobelia
and stramonium leaves; make a poultice and apply to the parts. Renew as
often as necessary. This combination makes a very effective poultice and
is sure to give relief."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--A person should wear a truss (support) that fits
perfectly, and this should not cause any pain or discomfort. The truss
should be worn all day, taken off at night after going to bed and put on
before rising, when still lying down. If it is put on after rising a
little of the gut may be in the canal and pressed down by the support.
There are many kinds of supports.

Operations now performed for rupture are very successful if the patient
takes good care for months afterwards until the parts are thoroughly
healed. The operation simply closes a too large opening. The testicles
descending through the groin canal from the abdominal cavity before birth
and in congenital rupture, left too big an opening. In acquired rupture,
these natural openings were enlarged by lifting, falls, etc. The round
ligament of the womb goes down through this canal and sometimes there is
too large an opening left or acquired by accident.

Irreducible Rupture.--This is when the rupture cannot be returned into
the abdominal cavity, and it is without any symptoms of strangulation.
They are of long standing and of a large size. This condition is often due
to carelessness of a patient in not keeping in a reducible rupture with a
proper support. Adhesions form, holding the rupture. Even if it is small,
it gives rise to much discomfort and the patient is always in danger of
strangulation of the rupture.

Operation for radical cure is gen