916 DISEASES AND THEIE TEEATMENT. 



a bean, molasses suflficient to make into a ball. Counter irritation 

 must next be excited over the seat of the disease. The loins should 

 be fomented with hot water or covered with mustard poultice, or, 

 better, heat a peck of salt in an oven, place it in a bag, and put it 

 over the part affected. If the case is severe and protracted, a 

 sharp blister may be used. No diuretics are to be given, as they 

 would simply aggravate, and make the disease worse. After the 

 bowels are open, give aconite, and treat as for fever. After re- 

 covery, the horse should be kept very quiet for a month, and if in 

 season, turned out to grass. If in winter, feed with light mashy 

 diet ; exercise lightly by leading, if the animal be valuable and it 

 is desired to aid recovery by extra care. 



Profuse Staling (Diuresis). 



Profuse staling, sometimes called diabetes, consists principally 

 of simple, increased secretion of urine, without any apparent 

 structural disease of the kidney, or much alteration of the compo- 

 sition of the urine, so characteristic of this affection in man. 



Causes. — It arises in a great measure from feeding musty or 

 heated hay, exposure to cold, etc. Frequently it occurs as an ac- 

 companiment of acidity of the stomach, or from the improper use 

 of diuretics, as nitre, saltpetre, resin, etc., which are frequently 

 given in large quantities foi- some time by grooms and ignorant 

 persons, not knowing the harm they are doing thereby. It is of 

 these ingredients also that most of the " condition powders " kept 

 for sale, which are often liberally fed, are composed. It is not 

 prudent, or at all necessary, to give such medicine, excepting for 

 specific purposes, and then very cautiously. Intelligent owners 

 give but very little medicine. Instead, they give bran mashes, 

 etc., with good air, regular exercise, and grooming. 



Symptoms. — The intense thirst first attracts attention; he is 

 constantly craving for water, and rapidly loses condition ; the coat 

 becomes rough and staring; he passes large quantities of clear 

 urine, his litter being constantly wet. He will be seen poking 

 among his litter, which he often eats with avidity in preference to 

 good hay. If it goes on unchecked, great prostration sets in, the 

 heart beats tumultuously, the throbbing being often visible at the 

 side, the pulse being irregular and intermittent. 



Treatment. — It is generally very easily checked if taken in 



