INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 337 



Among tlie alasurclities of stable-management there is nothing so injurious 

 as the frequent use of diuretics. Not only are the kidneys often over- 

 excited, -weakened, and disposed to disease, but the whole frame becomes 

 debihtated ; for the absorbents have carried away a great part of that 

 ■which was necessary to the health and condition of the horse, in order to 

 supply the deficiency of blood occasioned by the inordinate discharge of 

 urine. There is likemse one important fact of which the groom or the 

 horseman seldom thinks, viz. : — That, when he is removing these humours 

 by the imprudent use of dioi'etics, he is only attacking a symptom or a 

 consequence of disease, and not the disease itself. The legs will fill again, 

 and the grease will return. While the cause remains, the efiect wiU be 

 produced. 



In the administration of diuretics, one thing should be attended to, and 

 the good effect of which the testimony of every intelligent man will con- 

 fu'm : the horse should have plenty to drlnh. Not only vnll inflammation 

 be prevented, but the operation of the medicine will be much promoted. 



NEPHRITIS INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 



This is no uncommon disease in the horse, and is more unskilfully and 

 fatally treated than almost any other. The early symptoms are those of 

 fever generally, but the seat of the disease soon becomes evident. The 

 horse looks anxiously round at his flanks ; stands with his hinder legs 

 wide apart ; is unwilhng to lie down ; straddles as he walks ; expresses 

 pain in toi-ning ; shi'inks when the loins are pressed, and some degree of 

 lieat is felt there. The urine is voided in small quantities ; frequently it 

 is high-coloured, and sometimes bloody. The attempt to ui-inate becomes 

 more frequent, and the quantity voided, smaller, until the animal strains 

 painfully and violently, but the dischai^ge is nearly or quite suppressed. 

 The pulse is quick and hard ; fall in the early stage of the disease, but 

 rapidly becoming small, yet not losing its character of hardness. These 

 symptoms cleai-ly indicate an affection of the urinary organs ; but they do 

 not distinguish inflammation of the kidney from that of the bladder. In 

 order to effect this, the hand must be introduced into the rectum. If the 

 bladder is felt full and hard under the rectum, there is inflammation of 

 the neck of it ; if it is empty, yet on the portion of the intestines imme- 

 diately over it there is more than natural heat and tenderness, there is 

 inflammation of the body of the bladder ; and if the bladder is empty, and 

 there is no increased heat or tenderness, there is inflammation of the 

 kidney. 



The causes of this disease are, too powerful or too often repeated diuretics, 

 which induce inflammation of the kidney, or a degree of ii-ritation and 

 weakness of that organ that disposes to inflammation, from causes that 

 otherwise would have no injruious eifect. If a horse is sprained in the 

 loins, by being urged on, far and fast, by a heavy rider, or compelled to 

 take too wide a leap, or by being suddenly pulled up on his haunches, the 

 inflammation is often transferred from the loins to the kidneys, with which 

 they lie in contact. Exposure to cold is another frequent origin of this 

 malady, especially if the horse is drenched with rain, or the wet diips 

 upon his loins ; and more particularly, if he was previously disposed to 

 inflammation, or these organs had been previously weakened. For this 

 reason, coach and cab horses, and others exposed to the vicissitudes of 

 the weather, should have their loins protected by some waterproof cover- 

 ing. It may also be produced by some irritating agent, contained in the 

 food on which the animal is fed, such as dark nicw-burnt hay, or what 

 are called foxy oats, &c. 



The chief cause, however, of nephritis, is the umiecessary quantity, or 



