250 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



THE KIDNEYS. 



These are two somewhat oval, reddish-coloured 

 bodies, which occupy the upper part of the abdomen, 

 and are situated under the loins. Their form is like 

 that of a kidney bean. The right kidney lies most 

 forward, and is placed under the liver ; the left one 

 lies more backward, rather behind the stomach and 

 spleen. They lie above and are concealed by the 

 intestines, consequently upon dissection they are not 

 visible until the intestines are removed, as will be seen 

 by Plate ix, fig. i. In fig. 2 these are removed, and the 

 kidneys, d, d, are exposed, as well as other organs which 

 occupy the chest and abdomen. The chief function of 

 the kidneys is the secretion of the urine, and carrying 

 off an ingredient which enters into its composition, 

 called the urea, a substance which, if allowed to 

 circulate with the fluids, would prove poisonous. To 

 each of the kidneys a large artery runs, which conducts 

 nearly a sixth part of the blood of the body to them. 

 These branch off into innumerable minute vessels, 

 which ramify every portion of the substance of the 

 kidney, and by this means, and the uriniferous secret- 

 ing structures, the watery portions are separated from 

 the blood, and by the ureters conducted to the bladder. 

 The urine varies more in its quantity and quality in 

 the horse than in any other animal with which we are 

 acquainted, and hence the necessity of attending to its 

 appearance and composition during disease ; because 

 attention to this enables the veterinarian to detect the 

 disease, and also to judge the quantity of medicine 

 which may prove beneficial to the animal. In the 

 application of these much good or much evil may be 

 the result. Ignorant ostlers, seeing the effects of 

 nitre in promoting staling and also in purifying the 



