STONE IN THE BLADDER 353 



connected with swelling of the sheath, the latter should undergo thorough 

 cleansing with soap and water, and be afterwards lubricated with oil or 

 vaseline. In extreme cases scarification with a small lancet may be 

 called for. 



Incontinence of Urine. — Here there is an inability to retain urine, 

 which is discharged involuntarily, and cannot be controlled by the patient. 



Causes. — This may be due to a relaxed or paralytic condition of the 

 muscle which guards the neck of the bladder, and ordinarily prevents the 

 urine from passing out; it may also result from injuries, morbid growths, 

 or the partial blocking with calculi. 



Treatment. — If caused by a mechanical impediment it may sometimes 

 be removed by the passage of a catheter into the bladder, or by the 

 forcible injection of fluids from a syringe into the urethral canal. Where 

 a calculus exists in the urethral passage it may require a surgical operation. 



STONE IN THE BLADDER 



Composition of the Urine. — At the time of its discharge the urine 

 of the horse dift'ers in its appearance on different occasions. In colour it 

 varies from a pale-yellow to a deep brownish-yellow. It is usually trans- 

 parent, but frequently turbid, and occasionally distinctly muddy and 

 opaque. It has a strong, disagreeable odour and a saltish taste. "When 

 allowed to rest, a dullish gray precipitate is thrown down, consisting 

 chiefly of calcic carbonate (fig. 134). Its reaction is alkaline, and on the 

 addition of an acid, free effervescence is induced. 



The specific gravity varies between 1-015 and I'OSO. Microscopically 

 examined, the sediment thrown down in repose is found to be made up 

 chiefly of spherical, oval, and dumb-bell crystals of calcic carbonate, occa- 

 sionally also octahedra of calcic oxalate, with a few epithelial cells from 

 various parts of the mucous tract of the urinary apparatus. 



The following two analyses given by Von Bebra show the composition 



of the secretion: — 



I II 



Water 885-09 912-84 



Solid constituents 114-91 87-16 



Urea 12-44 836 



Hippuric acid ]2-60 1-23 



Uric acid ... ... ... ... — — 



Mucus 0-05 0-06 



Alcohol extract 25-50 ... 18-26 



Water extract 21-32 19-25 



Soluble salts 23-40"| ^q.qq 



Insoluble salts I8-8OJ 



