An understanding as to the various steps necessary in the repair of oblique inguinal hernia may be materially aided by a comparison of the relations of the normal structures with those in which a hernia exists; and these are shown in the following parallel columns and in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4:
Radical operation for the cure of inguinal hernia should consist of an attempt to restore the various structures to their normal relations.
In the majority of operative methods in vogue at present no attempt is made to reproduce the anatomic relations, the result being an alleged improvement on Nature, as is exemplified by the Bassini method. Synchronous with and largely due to the teachings of Ferguson, there has been an increased employment of operative procedures in which the anatomic relations are more or less completely replaced, Nature being imitated in the attempt at cure.
The rationale of