718 CERTAIN ABNORMAL CONDITIONS OF THE URINE. 



progress of certain changes, to be eliminated in greater quan- 

 tities when such changes are accomphshed. 



2. Substances Present in Solution in Urine not found in Health. 

 — In addition to urine in disease holding in solution a greater 

 than normal proportion of its ordinary constituents, we find 

 that certain substances of an accidental and foreign character 

 may also be present. 



These matters, being soluble, are not detected through their 

 physical appearances or characters ; although features possessed 

 by the secretion as a whole may lead us to a chemical examina- 

 tion, by which alone they may be demonstrated. 



Some of these unnatural but soluble materials are occasion- 

 ally accompanied with matter which, after being discharged 

 with the urine, is deposited, and by its physical or other 

 characters leads us to suspect the existence of some usually 

 accompanying morbid but soluble substance. The chief of 

 those we encounter are albumen and bile constituents, with 

 probably, in very rare instances, sugar. 



a. Urine containing Albumen. — This condition, known as 

 albuminuria, may in the horse, as in man, exist without the 

 physical character of the secretion being particularly attrac- 

 tive or distinctly diagnostic. In some cases our attention ma}' 

 be directed to make a special examination of the secretion 

 from particular physical appearances presented. It may be dark- 

 coloured from mingled blood or blood pigment ; it may be of 

 rather high specific gravity ; or there may be present in the de- 

 posit thread-like fibrinous elements, probably the result of fibri- 

 nogenous material moulded to this form in the uriniferous tubes. 



As the real pathognomonic importance of the condition con- 

 sists in the certainty whether albumen exists in solution or 

 not, the determination of this must be carried out by appro- 

 priate chemical tests. 



Those of heat and nitric acid, properly manipulated and 

 conducted with a knowledge of certain eventualities or possi- 

 bilities, are generally what are relied upon. 



The existence of albumen in appreciable amount in urine 

 for any length of time, and steadily continuous, cannot be 

 regarded as aught but a serious indication. 



It may occur from temporary or permanent disturbance, 

 from alterations in the secreting power of the structures of 



