ALKALINITY OF UKINE. 23 



alkaline. The causes which, in disease, alter the reaction of 

 the urine of the herbivora, have not been carefully studied, 

 though they doubtless merit great attention. A probable 

 explanation is, that in being prevented from taking its nor- 

 mal food, the supply of alkaline is deficient, and the waste 

 of the tissues going on rapidly at the same time, the herbi- 

 vorous animal is placed in the same condition as the carni- 

 vorous animal normally is, and more acid is evolved in 

 the system than can be neutralized by the alkalies existing 

 in it. 



In carnivorous animals, the urine in disease may become 

 alkaline in two ways altogether different from each other, a 

 knowledge of which is of the greatest importance in con- 

 ducting the treatment: Istly, It may become alkaline on 

 account of an alkaline diet, or after the use of alkaline 

 remedies; 2ndly, It may become alkaline from the decom- 

 position of urea, and the formation of the volatile alkali 

 ammonia. 



Urea, as I formerly stated, is readily decomposed. When 

 a solution of urea, such as urine, is in contact with animal 

 matters, especially when decomposing, these act as ferments, 

 and cause the urea to break up and evolve ammonia. The 

 same thing occurs when urine is kept for any length of time, 

 especially when the temperature is rather elevated. Such 

 urine becomes rapidly alkaline, and evolves a very percep- 

 tible, often a very offensive, odour of ammonia, an odour 

 which we always smell in badly drained stables. This 

 decomposition goes on so constantly and so rapidly, that the 

 careful agriculturist who wishes to avail himself, to all pos- 

 sible extent, of the urine of his cattle, adds some oil of vitriol 

 to the urine, so as to fix all the ammonia as soon as it is 

 evolved; that is to say, to form a sulphate of ammonia 

 which will not volatilize, but which will, provided a suffi 



