Snch  are  protracted  repletion  during  pregnancy,  or,  more  frequently,
diseases  of  the  prostate  and  urethra,  which  impair  the  contractile  power
of  the  bladder,  especially  in  the  aged ;  and  it  thus  remains  "  in  a  flaccid
state  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  abdominal  or  femoral  rings."  The
absence  of  a  peritoneal  sac  constitutes  the  analogy  between  tlus  form  of
hernia  and  the  caecal  protrusion.  When  once  within  the  scrotum,  the
urinary  bladder  may  become  gradually  distended,  and  retention  of  its  con-
tents may  supervene.  Our  author  reminds  us  that  our  earliest  information
respecting  hernia  of  the  bladder  was  derived  from  cases  which  had  been
mistaken,  we  presume  for  hydrocele,  and  punctured.  The  complication
Cft  calculus  with  cystocele  has  been  met  witn  in  many  instances ;  and  the
removal  of  the  stone  in  some  cases,  and  its  spontaneous  escape  in  others,
has  been  known  to  efiect  a  cure.
In  a  former  article,  already  referred  to,  we  entered  somewhat  at  length
into  the  statistics  of  hernia,  and  shall  therefore  pass  by  this  division  of


1 96  Mr.  Teale  on  Abdominal  Hernia,  [^^>

uur  subject ;  especially  as  the  authorities  quoted  are  the  same  as  thoac
from  which  we  drew  our  own  materials.  Great,  we  had  almost  said  andne,
importance  is  attached  by  our  author  to  M.  Malgaigne's  calculationB  and
tables.
