DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS. 753 



ferous tuLes, and in some instances they are mixed with oil 

 globules, which denote not only the presence of desquamative 

 nephritis, but of fatty degeneration also. 



The anatomical characters of the kidneys in this disease are 

 of two kinds, and are spoken of as the large white and the small 

 red kidney. If a longitudinal section of the large kidney be 

 made, its cortical portion is seen to be much increased; the 

 organ is soft in consistence, smooth upon its surface and upon 

 its investing membrane ; whilst the small kidney is hard and 

 red, rough upon its surface, and its investing membrane firmly 

 adherent. 



Spnjjtoms. — In addition to some stiffness of gait, there is con- 

 tinued desire on the part of the animal to stretch out in the stall, 

 and in this position to continue, as described by Mr. Percivall, 

 " with its fore legs extended under the manger, and its hind ones 

 backwards, unless disturbed, all day long, not for the purpose of 

 staling, but apparently because that posture seemed an easy 

 or a comfortable one to it." The diagnostic signs are present 

 in the urine itself, which is albuminous, containing fibrinous 

 casts of the uriniferous tubes, epithelial cells, or perhaps oil 

 globules, whilst in quantity it may be very materially diminished 

 or increased. I had the opportunity of watching the progress 

 of a case for a number of years, and of making a 2>ost mortem 

 examination after the animal's death. The general health 

 seemed but little affected. There was some shortness of breath, 

 the animal never lying down, and some stiffness of gait; the 

 urine varied in colour and density, sometimes dark, sometimes 

 pale, but always albuminous and copious in quantity. The horse 

 became paralyzed, and was destroyed. Examination of the 

 kidneys showed that they were red and small, with numerous 

 cysts, containing a thin transparent fluid in their interior. I was 

 unable to account for the copious secretion of urine, but I find 

 the same thing occurs in man; and that in the large white 

 kidney the secretion is scanty, has a higher specific gravity, 

 and contains clear, fibrinous, wax-like, and sometimes oily 

 casts, with occasionally a little blood, and is frothy ; whilst in 

 the small red kidney the urine is copious as to quantity, and 

 in the advanced stages pale, of a very low specific gravity, and 

 contains granular casts of the uriniferous tubes. 



Treatment. — "When resultincr from degenerative changes in the 



