hi the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 221 



walk. It withdraws from the pressure of the hand upon 

 the loins, which also indicates an undue heat, considera- 

 bly above that of its natural condition. When turned 

 with moderate quickness it feels pain, and looks back wist- 

 fully at its flanks, as suppression of the action of the 

 urinary organs takes place and is followed by a difficulty 

 in voiding urine, which comes off in small quantities and 

 is generally high-coloured, and not unfrequently mixed 

 with blood. Strong efforts are made by the horse to 

 void it in larger quantities, but at length it is almost 

 entirely suspended. Hence it will be manifest that 

 there is an affection of the urinary organs, but at first 

 it will be difficult to say whether it is the kidney or the 

 neck of the bladder. At this stage of the disease, ac- 

 cording to Brown, the pulse is hard and accelerated ; it 

 soon after becomes small, although retaining its cha- 

 racter of hardness. In order to find the seat of the 

 disease, the hand must be forced up the rectum, and if 

 the bladder (which is situate under the rectum) feels 

 distended and hard, then it is certain that the disease 

 is in the neck of the bladder. If, on the other hand, 

 it is soft and feeling empty, with heat in the intestines 

 over it, then there is inflammation in the bladder itself ; 

 but if there is no unnatural heat over it, then you may 

 infer that the inflammation is in the kidne} T s. Musty 

 or mowburnt oats and hay are often the cause of 

 inflammation in the kidneys. Farmers in these hard 

 times turn all their good oats and hay into money and 

 keep only the inferior for their horses, and pay the 

 piper accordingly. Another cause of this complaint is 

 giving too strong doses of diuretic medicine, esj)ecially 



