464 DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 



the most part, exempt from the causes to which, I repeat, I 

 believe the majority of cases of nephritis will be found to 

 be referable. 



These causes may be considered under two heads : — 

 under those of eooternal injury, and of the use or abuse of food 

 or medicine possessing acute active diuretic properties. The 

 exertions the loins are put to, and the strains they are liable 

 to, in the violent and forcible extensions they are made to 

 undergo in acts of hard galloping, in racing and hunting, 

 and, in particular, in ditch-leapiiig, together with heavy 

 draught up hill, cannot fail to endanger lesion of the de- 

 licate tissue, the kidneys, or of their envelopes ; and our 

 only surprise is, that such structures are not much more 

 frequently injured than they prove to be, after efforts 

 of the kind. The heavier the weight imposed upon the 

 back under such circumstances, the greater must be their 

 liability to receive hurt. Going long journeys without 

 drawing bit, or drawing very heavy loads, must subject the 

 animal to nephritic irritation. The practice — formerly so 

 much in vogue in our cavalry — of halting horses on a sud- 

 den, and throwing them, unprepared, upon their haunches," is 

 one that tends to put the loins to great trial. I believe, how- 

 ever, that inflammation of the kidneys is more likely to arise 

 from substances of an acrid or irritating diuretic nature than 

 from any of the before-mentioned causes. It used to be a 

 common practice with grooms — and is, indeed, too much so 

 at present — to be continually giving their horses " urine 

 balls,^^ without any regard either to the strength or the com- 

 position of them, or, indeed, any other property appertaining 

 to them, save that they bear the appellation of " urine balls*:" 

 a practice not only absurd in itself, but one highly calculated 

 to inflame or otherwise disorder the kidneys. The same 

 disorder may result from the use of foxy or musty oats, 

 malted barley, mow-burnt hay, &c., though these are more 

 likely to induce functional than structural disease. When 

 the disease arises from food or water of any deleterious or 

 improper quality, it is likely to assume an epidemic form. 

 Cold wet seasons, in horses predisposed to nephritic com- 



