Footnote

b Most serious of all are “strangulated” hernias, in which, as their name implies, the circulation of the blood is strangled by a decrease in the size of the opening through which the hernia protrudes. This can happen at any time and generally requires immediate surgery or else complications, gangrene and even death, can shortly ensue. Because of this risk many physicians recommend that all hernias be immediately repaired; this is the opposite extreme, it might be observed, from resorting to exercise.