PREVENTION OF URINARY DEPOSITS 129 



conditions where their carbonic anhydride is diminished. A 

 weekly mash, containing any simple saline, somewhat lessens 

 the tendency to these urinary deposits ; and it is further 

 important to remove conditions which interfere with regular 

 urination or any obstruction to the outflow. It is accord- 

 ingly advisable, from time to time, to wash out the horse's 

 sheath with soap and tepid water, and thus get rid of 

 accumulating sebaceous matter. 



Bulls and oxen, and still more frequently rams and 

 wethers, when liberally supplied with albuminoid food, and 

 having little or no exercise, are liable to deposits, chiefly of 

 ammonio-magnesian phosphates, in the bladder and curved 

 or tortuous urethra. Amongst feeding sheep, fatal uraemic 

 poisoning may thus be produced. The patients must be 

 turned up, and endeavour made by manipulation to displace 

 the deposits which block the urethra. Where these means 

 fail to effect a passage, the vermiform appendage may be 

 excised, or the canal may be opened, when a full stream of 

 urine will be discharged, and with it a considerable amount 

 of deposit. Prevention is effected by withholding or reduc- 

 ing the allowance of cake and corn, supplying soft laxative 

 food, raising the sheep and moving them about at least thrice 

 daily, so as to encourage urination, and by prescribing 

 potassium bicarbonate. 



Dogs, when freely eating animal food, suffer occasionally 

 from deposits of uric acid and acid urates, the tendency to 

 which is combated by suitable diet, diluents, and salts of 

 potassium and lithium, both of which form soluble salts with 

 uric acid, but the lithium having a lower atomic weight, 

 unites with a larger proportion of uric acid. 



VESICAL AND URINARY SEDATIVES are agents which lessen 

 irritability of the bladder and urinary passages, and thus 

 remove straining and pain. Diluents, such as linseed tea 

 or other mucilaginous drinks, are often serviceable. Irrita- 

 bility when caused by the presence of calculi is diminished 

 by the administration of alkalies. In cystitis, rugs wrung 

 out of hot water and laid over the loins, and hot fomenta- 

 tions to the perineum, afford much relief. Irritability of the 

 nerve-centres is soothed by opium, belladonna, and hyoscya- 

 Chronic inflammatory conditions are relieved by such 

 I 



