472 DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 



I have invariably found this better than tampering whenever 

 acute inflammation was raging. Whether he require or not 

 so early as this a second venesection, the clyster ought to be 

 repeated at the interval of a few hours, and continued at 

 like intervals until such time as we see signs of the purge 

 coming into operation : an additional reason for these fre- 

 quent injections of water, as hot as can be borne, being that 

 they may act as a sort of internal fomentation. Stimulants 

 to the loins are commonly recommended, and I believe with 

 reason; but there needs no immediate hurry about their applica- 

 tion : they will take little or no effect^ — at least no beneficial 

 eflPect — until such time as we have succeeded in lowering 

 the inflammatory excitement. There is a notion abroad that 

 blisters are apt to do harm here in consequence of cantharides 

 being supposed to be a stimulant to the kindeys themselves ; 

 and such I believe they are, and therefore, perhaps, are pru- 

 dently laid aside in nephritic disorders : at the same time I 

 have known cantharides to be given to horses in consider- 

 able doses — in doses to excite inflammation of the bladder 

 — and yet to make no morbid impression upon the kidneys. 

 Some practitioners pour boiling water upon the loins ; others 

 prefer an embrocation made of mustard and boiling vinegar. 

 For my own part, I have no great objection to the use of a 

 blister, provided it be sponged off with water as soon as it 

 takes effect : I say this because with many persons it is a 

 consideration that the skin should not be blemished by being 

 denuded. The animal should be allowed water ad libitum : 

 indeed he ought to have a large bucketful constantly within 

 his reach — either of gruel or water ; the latter, probably, is 

 best, simply because he will take more of it, it being the 

 quantity of the diluent, and consequent dilution of the 

 urinary secretion, we are rather concerned about than its 

 quality. Mucilaginous infusions or decoctions of all sorts 

 certainly must prove of service in mingling with the urinary 

 fluid, and rendering it less obnoxious to the irritable pas- 

 sages ; but one cannot get horses to drink these fluids 

 voluntarily — one is obliged to dose them, and this forms 

 my objection to their exhibition. The object may be 



