THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 205 



the case when the hemorrhage is merely passive, unac- 

 companied by symptoms of pain either at the time, or between 

 the periods of urinating. A case of this character might very 

 properly be termed congestive haematuria, and may be treated 

 on the same principles which prevail in the practice of intelligent 

 physicians in the management of other local congestions. Ne- 

 phritis (inflammation of the kidneys), may occasion haematuria, 

 and is almost always accompanied by sure and umistakable 

 symptoms ; viz., those of pain and irritation, either in the act, 

 or else before or after urinating. It may be diflBcult to 

 determine what is the exciting cause of this inflammatory con- 

 • dition ; it may be purely idiopathic, or may arise from the 

 irritation consequent on the passage of urinary calculi, through 

 the parts involved, and notwithstanding there are certain diag-. 

 nostic symptoms attending both varieties, still the medical 

 attendant (who has just seen the case for the first time,) may 

 find it hazardous to venture an opinion on its exact pathology ; 

 yet, he shall not be at fault in treating the case as a local, inflam- 

 matory affection. If it can be shown that the animal has been 

 dosed with strong diuretics, and no hemorrhage had existed 

 prior to their administration, but is now quite profuse, we 

 may safely conclude that the hemorrhage is occasioned by the 

 local stimulus. It may therefore be laid down as a general 

 rule, that all cases of haematuria, attended with symptoms of 

 pain, are occasioned by the irritation of some foreign body acting 

 on some part of the secretory surface of the urinary apparatus ; 

 or else, is^the result of some external violence, and it is the 

 business of the person who prescribes to carefully consider 

 these matters, in view of forming a correct diagnosis. 



Haematuria does occasionally occur in nursing women, of a 

 plethoric diathesis ; at the period of weaning the infant, the 

 woman notices on urinating, that the fluid is tinged with blood, 

 but, as the act is unaccompanied by pain, and nothing of the 

 kind being felt in the region of the kidneys, she feels no alarm 

 about it, and scarcely if ever, consults a medical man on the 

 subject. In the course of a few days, all things being favor- 

 able, the urine assumes its natural appearance ; therefore, if 

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