DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 138 



Ash and phosphoric acid in bran and some common farm 



Wheat bran, it will be observed, contains three times as much 

 phosphoric acid as is found in any of the other gi-ains, and four 

 times as much as oats, beans, peas, or rye ; so that if fed in excess it 

 will readily overcharge the urine with phosphates. 



There is another point to be considered, however, in estimating 

 this danger. "Wlieat bran contains a far gi-eater quantity of albu- 

 minoids and other nitrogen-containing constituents than the common 

 grains (these being made up mainly of starch, which contains no 

 nitrogen) ; and, all nitrogen-bearing products contained in the blood 

 and tissues being expelled from the body mainly through the kidneys 

 in the form of urea and (in cattle) hippuric acid, it follows that the 

 excess of urea formed when such feed is consumed must load the 

 urine with solids and bring it constantly nearer to the point of satu- 

 ration, when such solids (or the least soluble of them) must be 

 deposited. 



The following table will show the relative amounts of the nitrogen- 

 bearing products in wheat bran and some of our common gi^ains : 



Nitrogenous matter in wheat Iran and some common farm grains. 



Kind of grain. 



Albumi- 

 noids (ni 

 troge- 

 nous). 



Woody fiber 

 (nitroge- 

 nous.) 



Total nitrog- 

 enous-bear- 

 ing constit- 

 uents. 



Wheat bran . 

 Wheat, grain 

 Barley, grain 

 Oats, grain.. 

 Rye, grain . . . 

 Indian com.. 



Per cent. 

 16.1 

 12.5 

 12.4 

 11.8 

 10.6 

 10.1 



Per cent. 



24.1 

 14.3 

 15.1 

 21.3 

 12.3 

 11.8 



It will be observed that, with the exception of oats, none of the 

 grains contain more than two-thirds of the nitrogenous material 



