IOO 



HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



Again, when cantharides have been given 

 with a view to stimulate exhausted nature, 

 or when they are absorbed from the surface 

 of the skin, as sometimes happens in 

 blistering, the bladder is liable to become 

 inflamed. The symptoms are — a quick 

 pulse — pain in the hind quarter, evinced 

 by the looks of the animal in that direc- 

 tion — and constant straining to pass the 

 urine, which is thick and mixed with mu- 

 cus, or in aggravated cases with purulent 

 matter. The treatment to be adopted if 

 the case is severe will consist in venesec- 

 tion, back-raking, and purgation with lin- 

 seed or castor oil, avoiding aloes, which 

 have a tendeney to irritate the bladder. 

 Linseed tea should be given as the sole 

 drink, and scalded linseed mixed with a 

 bran mash as food. The following ball 

 may also be given, and repeated if ne- 

 cessary : 



Take of Powdered Opium - - I drachm. 

 Tarter Emetic - - 1*4 drachm. 



To be made up into a ball with Linseed Meal and 

 boiling water, and given every six hours. 



Retention of urine may be due either 

 to inflammation of the neck of the blad- 

 der, occasioning a spasmodic closure of 

 that part, or there may be spasm unat- 

 tended by inflammation and solely due to 

 the irritation of some offending substance, 

 such as a calculus, or a small dose of 

 cantharides. The treatment in either 

 case must be directed to the spasmodic 

 constriction, which is generally under the 

 control of large doses of opium and 

 camphor, that is, from one drachm to 

 two drachms of each, repeated every five 

 or six hours. If the symptoms are ur- 

 gent, bleeding may also be resorted to, 

 and when the bladder is felt to be greatly 

 distended, no time should be lost in evac- 

 uating it by means of the catheter, which 

 operation, however, should only be en- 

 trusted to a regular practitioner accus- 

 tomed to its use. 



Calculi in the bladder are formed of 

 several earthy salts, and present various 

 forms and appearances, which may be 

 comprised under four divisions : ist. The 

 mulberry calculus, so named from its re- 

 semblance to a mulberry, possessing gen- 

 erally a nucleus. 2d. A very soft kind 

 resembling fullers' earth in appearance, 

 and being chiefly composed of phosphate 

 of lime and mucus. 3d. Calculi of a 

 white or yellowish color, rough externally 



and easily friable. And 4th. Those 

 which are composed of regular layers, 

 and which are harder than the second 

 and third varieties. 



The mulberry calculus, from its ex- 

 tremely rough surface, occasions more 

 irritation than other forms, but during 

 life it is impossible to ascertain the exact 

 chemical nature of the calculus which 

 may be ascertained to exist. These cal- 

 culi sometimes attain an immense size, 

 weighing several pounds. The symp- 

 toms are a difficulty of voiding the urine, 

 which generally comes away in jerks 

 after great straining and groaning. The 

 horse remains with his legs extended for 

 some time afterwards, and evidently indi- 

 cates that he feels as if his bladder was 

 not relieved. Often there is muco-puru- 

 lent matter mixed with the urine, which 

 is rendered thick and glutinous thereby, 

 but this only happens in cases of long 

 standing. The treatment must be either 

 palliative or curative. If the former, it 

 should consist in the adoption of the. 

 means employed for subduing irritation: 

 and inflammation of the bladder which 

 have been already described. The cure 

 can only be effected by removing the. 

 stone. This requires the performance of 

 a difficult and dangerous operation 

 (lithotomy), the details of which can be- 

 only useful to the professed veterinary 

 surgeon, and we shall therefore omit them, 

 here. 



HORSE, Generative Organs, Diseases, 

 of the. — Balanitis, or inflammation of the- 

 glans penis, ((3a/iavog, glans,) is very com- 

 mon in the horse, being brought on by 

 the decomposition of the natural secre- 

 tions, when they have been allowed to* 

 collect for any length of time. At first 

 there is merely a slight discharge of pus,, 

 but in process of time foul sores break 

 out, and very often fungus growths spring, 

 from them, which block up the passage 

 through the opening of the sheath, and 

 cause considerable swelling and incon- 

 venience. These are quite distinct from 

 warts, which occur in this part just as. 

 they do in other situations. The treat- 

 ment requires some skill and experience, 

 because mild remedies are of no use, and. 

 severe ones are not unattended with dan- 

 ger. The parts must first of all be well 

 cleansed by syringing, or if the end of 

 the penis can be laid hold of, by washing. 



