48G DISEASES OF THE URIxNARY ORGANS. 



lately ascertained that, when they ate pie-crust, and it pro- 

 duced dyspepsia, their urine became albuminous. They 

 made this experiment over and over again ; and the circum- 

 stance is nothing more than I should expect/^' 



These medical quotations shew us how long, and how 

 much the present subject has engaged the attention of some 

 of the most eminent physicians of our own day ; at the same 

 time, they appear to demonstrate to us, that albuminous 

 urine may exist without organic disease of kidney — may be 

 the result of simple functional disorder of the gland — may 

 even proceed from indigestion — nay, from disease of liver. 

 All these are facts, however, which we, as veterinarians, 

 must receive cum grano salts. We must regard them only 

 as starting-posts from which we may safely set oflP on our in- 

 quiry, and which may prove to be fast grounded or not on 

 further investigation. We know how little the horse is the 

 subject of dyspepsia; we know how less still his aliment is 

 varied, or of that kind likely to render him so : we have, 

 consequently, stronger grounds than surgeons for believing 

 that this change in the urine is the effect of some altered 

 state, functional or organic, of the kidneys. I would, there- 

 fore, still counsel the veterinarian to continue to regard the 

 appearance as an important aid, on occasions, in directing us 

 to a safe and sound diagnosis ; — as, in fact, connected with 

 other collateral evidence, amounting to a proof that the 

 kidneys are the seat of the animaFs complaint. 



My treatment, where symptoms of inflammation have 

 distinctly shewn themselves, either in the form of constitu- 

 tional irritation or locally, has, in the first instance, been 

 antiphlogistic. I have both bled and purged moderately, 

 and applied upon the loins, in cases of much tenderness and 

 stiffness there, mustard plasters, taking care to sponge tliem 

 off with warm water before they have taken so much effect 



' " Dr. Graves, the eminent Professor of the Institute of Medicine in the 

 School of Physic in Ireland, has done much to dissolve the supposed invarialjle 

 connexion between albuminous urine and disease of the kidney. Ile^sliews that 

 it often depends on disease of the liver." Sec his valuable i)apers in the 

 •Dublin Journal of Medical and Chemical Science.' 



