IRRITABILITY OF THE BLADDER. 733 



examination in order to satisfy ourselves tliat no irritating 

 and obstructing material lias been lodged there, and by soap 

 and water remove the suspicion that disturbed function is the 

 result of want of cleanliness. 



The condition of the bladder and prostates should be 

 ascertained as far as possible by examination per rectum, in 

 order to discover if surgical interference may not be needful 

 to remove the inducing cause. While the history of the case 

 as to probable injury of the loins may help us so far. 



As the causes which operate in inducing vesical irritability 

 are varied, they may only be successfully met by treatment 

 suited to the different cases. 



II. Cystitis — Inflammation or Catarrh of the Bladder. 



Definition. — Inflammation of the uriiiarrj bladder. 



Pathology, a. Causation. — Inflammation of the urinary 

 bladder is in the horse a very rare condition, much rarer than 

 with several other animals which come under our care. The 

 causes which we may chiefly expect to observe operating in 

 inducing the lesion are — (1) Irritation resulting from the 

 presence of foreign bodies, as calculi or morbid growths ; 

 (2) From the ingestion of special irritants, as turpentine, can- 

 tharides, etc. ; (3) Ammoniacal urine, existing as the conse- 

 quence of vesical paralysis following spinal injury and exposure 

 to fatigue, damp, and cold, with bad food. 



Anatomical Characters. — Apart from disturbance, the inner 

 lining of the urinary bladder on examination after death gives 

 the impression of a very moderately vascular structure. When 

 suffering from inflammatory action, marked changes occur, 

 and bloodvessels appear where none were previously visible. 

 This morbid action is seldom of a uniform character, in- 

 tensity, or distribution. It may appear as a catarrhal, 

 adhesive, suppurative, or ulcerative action, and may be largely 

 distributed as to superficial extent, or scattered in circum- 

 scribed and small patches. In some the epithelial lining seems 

 little disturbed; in others it is removed in large patches, leaving 

 a smooth abraded surface. 



This condition of inflammatory action may not be con- 

 founded with the hemorrhagic spotting which is encountered 

 in many cases of fevers in this and other hollow organs. 



