THE AMOUNT OF PARAFFIN TO BE INTRODUCED IN A GIVEN CASE.
The tendency is to overinject a case. One must not forget that the tissues will probably thicken to twice the size of the mass injected. The operator must estimate as nearly as possible the size of the tract to be filled and then aim to throw in enough to about half fill it. The diffusion of the paraffin will usually safely hold the hernia when the patient rises from the table.
Should the operator throw in mixtures one and two until the parts are fairly distended and the hernia be not held it is better to use only the plain sterile vaseline for a subsequent injection at the site of the internal ring. If a half dram of vaseline at this point does not hold the hernia a small amount of vaseline may
then be thrown in the central portion of the canal.
At first the vaseline injections should be used whenever in doubt as to the amount needed above a certain point. As the operator becomes acquainted with the needs of cases by experience the vaseline can be largely substituted by the paraffin mixture number one.