752 SPORADIC DISEASES. 



found that the other kidney generally becomes hypertrophied, 

 having a double function to perform. In the case mentioned, 

 where the suppression continued for five days, the left kidney 

 was found to be, when examined some years afterwards, a mere 

 flabby bag, its substance destroyed,and the ureter impervious ; the 

 right kidney, on the other hand, was much enlarged, and almost 

 healthy. This condition of atrophy of one, and hypertrophy of 

 the other, was diagnosed at the time it was attended, for the 

 enlarged organ was easily detectable by the hand introduced 

 into the rectum. Both Percivall and Gamgee quote a case of 

 suppuration of the kidney, described by D'Arboval, occurring in 

 a mare which had fallen into a hole. 



ALBUMINURIA. 



The occurrence of albumen may be due to various causes un- 

 connected with disease of the kidneys, as in " red water " in 

 cattle, some forms of indigestion in the horse, as well as from 

 cerebro-spinal irritation. The application of large cantharidine 

 blisters may also be followed by albuminous urine. According 

 to some this is due to the toxic effects of cantharidine upon the 

 blood, inducing a condition of that fluid simulating that resulting 

 from the action of morbid poisons. According to others it is 

 a result of the direct irritating effects upon the kidneys of the 

 absorbed cantharidine. This latter view seems to me to be the 

 more correct one, for not only does it irritate the kidneys, but 

 the virinary passages generally, as manifested by frequent and 

 difficult urination — strangury — which is best treated by opium, 

 demulcents, as linseed tea, and bicarbonate of soda. 



Persistent albuminuria arises from that degenerated condition 

 of the kidney termed by medical writers " Bright's disease." 

 It is, however, very rare in the lower animals. It is described 

 by veterinary authors under the term of albuminous nephritis 

 and granular degeneration of the kidneys. 



The urine in this disease is permanently albuminous, and if 

 examined microscopically will be found to contain a number of 

 thread-like cylinders, which are in fact slender fibrinous coagula 

 moulded to the shape, and discharged from the urinary tubes of 

 the kidneys. They are generally studded with minute epithelial 

 cells, which have been detached from the surface of the urini- 



