Piiriileiit Nephritis. 229 



a variable hyperthermia is very suggestive, Stiffness and weak- 

 ness of the hind parts and tenderness of the loins are signifi- 

 cant ; also, in carnivora and oninivora, nausea and vomiting. 

 When the kidney can be felt by the hand in the rectum or in 

 the small animals, through the flaccid abdominal walls, the 

 manifest enlargement, the tenderness, and in some cases even 

 fluctuation will assist in diagnosis. In such cases, puncture by 

 a large hypodermic needle, or a small trochar may betray the 

 presence of pus and complete the diagnosis. If the pus escapes 

 into the pelvis of the kidney it may be recognized in the urine. 

 The case is very liable to become chronic, and is then marked 

 by anaemia and emaciation. 



Ti'eatment. When an external wound exists it must be treated, 

 antiseptically, with boric acid, potassium permanganate, or other 

 antiseptic lotion. If a single large abscess exists, puncture evac- 

 uation through needle or trochar, and washing out with an anti- 

 septic solution is the obvious resort. Any foreign body must of 

 course be removed. If the suppuration is diffused through the 

 whole mass of softened kidney, the re.sort of extirpation may be 

 considered. This is always dangerous as provocative of infec- 

 tious peritonitis, but it is less so in dogs and swine than in other 

 animals owing to their natural antagonism to pus microbes. The 

 operation should be attempted extraperitoneally, the incision be- 

 ing made beneath the anterior lumbar transverse processes and 

 carried inward through the sublumbar connective tissue. The 

 renal artery will require ligature with antiseptic catgut and all 

 manipulations should be aseptic or antiseptic. Even if successful, 

 this operation leaves the subject in a dangerous state, as in case 

 of kidney disea.se at any future time, there is no second kidney 

 to compensate for the temporarj^ loss of function and ursemic 

 poisoning is to be dreaded. 



Apart from surgical measures the general treatment would be 

 largely the same as for acute infectious nephritis, As antiseptics 

 calcium sulphide, the different sulphites, copiaba, etc., will be 

 indicated. 



