3 1 G CONS TI T U TIONA L DISEASES 



glands; these become greatly enlarged. The proportion of white over 

 red blood corpuscles is also greatly increased. Cadiot found four cases 

 where the proportion was 1 to 183 to 1 to 200. The cause of this disease 

 has not been clearly demonstrated. Some observers ascribe it to tuber- 

 cular processes in the lymphatics. The course is generally rapid, and 

 while in the early stages there is no great alteration in the general con- 

 dition; anaemia soon commences, and in consequence of the hyperplasia 

 of the bronchial lymphatics we find dyspnoea, and as a result of the 

 abdominal glands being in the same state of hyperplasia we have 

 dropsy of the abdomen, later general cedema, and finally death. 



Treatment is the same as anaemia and leukaemia. Arsenic is gen- 

 erally used; if it has no effect, iodide of potassium. 



Diabetes Mellitus. 



Etiology. — By diabetes mellitus we understand a peculiar chronic 

 abnormal condition of the urine wdiich contains a large quantity of grape 

 sugar. The true cause of this peculiar disease is not exactly known, 

 but from recent observations which have been made on dogs and other 

 animals this disease seems to have some connection with diseases of the 

 pancreas. Minkowski found that on removal of the entire pancreatic 

 gland, sugar appeared in the urine in twenty-four hours — the amount of 

 sugar was 10 per cent. — and death in a few weeks. A removal of a 

 portion of the pancreas caused slight traces of sugar in a short time, and 

 if the greater part of the gland is extirpated, leaving only a very small 

 portion, sugar was immediately formed in the urine in large quantities, 

 and resulted in death in a very short time. Lepine seems to think the 

 pancreas has the property of taking up the sugar in the blood and when 

 this gland is destroyed or its functions become impaired in any way, the 

 sugar in the blood is eliminated by the kidneys. This is further con- 

 firmed by diabetic dogs, where one part of the pancreas is invariably 

 found to be atrophied, either from functional loss of power or from car- 

 cinoma. Gebier mentions a case of transitory glycosuria, where a bitch 

 of a very affectionate disposition and accustomed to be with other 

 dogs, when separated from the other dogs and confined by herself, imme- 

 diately had sugar appear in large amount in her urine. 



While this disease is comparatively rare, and is more frequently 

 seen in old dogs, occasionally large number of cases may be seen in 

 certain localities; sex seems to have no influence on the disease, as it is 

 seen equally in ])oth sexes. Eber found it to occur most frequently in 

 small pet dogs that have little or no exercise. 



Clinical Symptoms and Course. — The disease develops gradually; the 

 most important symptom is the gradual emaciation notwithstanding 



