^38 DIABETES, OR PROFUSE STALING. 



undue strength, of the diuretic medicines tliat are given by ignorant 

 grooms. This is an e^vdl carried to a most injurious extent, and which 

 eveiy horseman should positively forbid. 



The treatment will only vary from that of inflammation of other parts, 

 by a consideration of the peculiarity of the organ afl'ected. Bleeding must 

 be promptly resorted to, and carried to its fall extent. An active purge 

 should next be administerad ; and a counter-inflammation excited 8a 

 nearly as possible to the seat of disease. For this purpose the loins should 

 be fomented with hot water, or covered with a mustard-poultice — the 

 horse should be warmly clothed ; but no cantharides or turpentine should 

 be used, nor any diuretic be given internally. When the groom finds this 

 diiEculty or suppression of staling, he immediately has recourse to a diu- 

 retic ball to force on the urine ; and by thus needlessly irritating a part 

 already too much excited, he adds fuel to fire, and frequently destroys the 

 horse. Clysters also of warm soap and water, should be thrown up the 

 rectum every three or four hours ; they will not only promote the early 

 action of the purgative medicine, but vvdll also, to a certain extent, act as 

 a fomentation to the inflamed part. 



The action of the purgative having begun a httle to cease, carbonate of 

 soda in half-ounce doses should be given two or three times a day. The 

 patient should be wai'mly clothed, a fresh sheep-skin thrown over the loins 

 and frequently changed, and his legs well bandaged. The food should be 

 carefully examined, and anything that could have excited or that may 

 prolong the irritation carefully removed. He should be allowed to di'iol: 

 freely of mucilaginous fluids, such as linseed gruel, and be kept on sof^ 

 food, as bran mash, for some time. 



DIABETES, OR PROFUSE STALING, 



Is a comparatively rare disease. It is generally the consequence of un- 

 due irritation of the kidney, by bad food or strong diuretics, and sometimes 

 follows inflammation of that organ. It can seldom be traced in the horse 

 to any disease of the digestive organs. Among the causes of diabetes are 

 improper food, and particularly hay that has been mow-burnt, or oats that 

 are musty. The farmer should look well to this. Oats that have been 

 dried on a kiln acquire a diuretic property, and if horses are long fed on 

 tliem, the continual excitement of this organ which they produce will de- 

 generate into diabetes. 



In the human subject the disease is characterised by the large quantities 

 of urine voided, and the amount of sugar contained in it ; hence the name 

 given to it of diabetes melHtis. In the horse we have the same unusual 

 discharge of urine of a pale colour, but it contains no sugar, but a sub- 

 stance analogous to gum ; hence it is termed diabetes incipdus. It 

 frequently afl'ects several horses at the same time, and sometimes assumes 

 a chronic form. It is not an inflammatory disease, and the kidneys will 

 generally be found paler in colour, and softer in texture. 



The treatment is not always satisfactory, and the results often uncertain. 

 It is evidently increased action of the kidneys, and therefore the most 

 rational plan of treatment is to endeavour to abate that action. In order 

 to effect this, our first care should be to change the diet upon which the 

 animal has been feeding ; and, indeed, the mere substitution of sweet and 

 wholesome provender, for the indigestible, mow-burnt, and musty diet, 

 wUl materially assist the cure. Very careful attention should be paid to 

 the food. The hay, oats, and split beans, should be of the best quality ; 

 green-meat and carrots will also be serviceable. The animal should be 

 kept short of water, in which may be mingled a small quantity of lime. 

 Our laedicinal agents should consist of cither mineral or venfctable tonics. 



