872 AZOTURIA. 



phenomena on the ground of htvmal contamination, either from 

 the presence in the system of effete tissue-elements or their 

 further change, the chief of which has been supposed to be urea, 

 and its hurtful influence when resolved into certain ammonia 

 compounds, we may not unreasonably look for an explanation of 

 these in the changed character of the blood, owing to peculiarities 

 in the primary digestion, to its influence on cerebral nutrition, 

 the induction of brain oedema, followed by brain anaemia, and 

 consequent disturbance of muscular and nervous function. 



That this condition is not one which has newty appeared in 

 our day we should expect to find, seeing that the phenomena 

 of diseased actions of a similar nature in like circumstances 

 must ever remain the same, however differently these activities 

 may be interpreted. In Mr. Percival's ' Hippopathology ' it 

 will be found that, under the term ' albuminous urine,' there 

 is an account of diseased conditions and records of the manifes- 

 tations of diseased action, which give the impression that these 

 were cases which we now regard and speak of as azoturia. 

 From this author's quotation from the Veterinarian for 1836, 

 where one of these cases is reported, it will be observed that the 

 symptoms there noted are quite characteristic. ' " In October a 

 bay blood mare, then running in the mail, began to fall off in 

 condition, in consequence of which she was turned into a loose 

 box, where she rapidly regained flesh and spirits. A fortnight 

 afterwards she was taken to exercise previously to being put to 

 her former work. She appeared in perfect health, and very 

 playful ; she had hardly proceeded with her rider about half a 

 mile when she suddenly stopped, began sweating, without any 

 apparent cause, and was with difficulty led home." 



' Mr. Clayworth — the gentleman who reports the case — was 

 sent for, found her sweating and trembling, scarcely able to 

 turn in the stall, the muscles of her back and loins in a state 

 of spasm, tail quite stiff; kept looking at her flank and appeared 

 in violent pain,' dropped her hind-legs in going forward, but 

 her loins did not appear tender when pressed upon. About a 

 pint of fluid was drawn from her bladder with the catheter, of 

 the colour and consistence of linseed oil ; after that the same 

 quantity, thicker, and of the colour of porter; and a third 

 portion of the colour of whey. These urines were passed in 

 succession, the catheter remaining all the while in the bladder. 



