216 THE HORSE. 



usual be drunk, a great deal more will be evacuated. The next caution is, 

 that during; the administration of a diuretic neither the clothing nor the 

 stable should be too warm, otherwise that which was intended to stimulate 

 the kidney will pass off by perspiration ; for it seems to be a law of the 

 frame, that what increases the discharge from the skin proportionably 

 lessens the action of the kidneys. 



The best diuretic, and which given simply to promote an increased secre- 

 tion from the kidneys, supersedes every other, is turpentine ; either the 

 common liquid turpentine in doses of half an ounce, and made into a ball 

 with linseed meal, and half a drachm of ginger ; or, what is better, the 

 same quantity of powdered resin, with two drachms of linseed meal, and 

 half a drachm of ginger, formed into a mass with palm-oil. In cases 

 of inflammation or fever, nitre or digitalis should be used. The spirit of 

 nitrous ether, cream of tartar, and balsam of capivi have some diuretic 

 effect. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEY 



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; 

 straddles as he walks ; expresses pain in turning ; shrinks when the loins 

 are pressed, and some degree of heat is felt there. The urine is voided in 

 small quantities, and frequently it is high-coloured, and sometimes 

 bloody. The attempt to urinate becomes more frequent, and the quantity 

 voided smaller ; until the animal strains painfully and violently, l3ut the 

 discharge is nearly or quite suppressed. The pulse is quick and hard; full 

 in the early stage of the disease, but rapidly becoming small, yet not losing 

 its character of hardness. These symptoms clearly indicate an affection of 

 the urinary organs ; but they do not distinguish inflammation of the kidney 

 from that of the bladder. The hand must be introduced into the rectum. 

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

 of the neck of the bladder: if the bladder be empty, yet on the portion of 

 the intestines immediately over it there is more than natural heat and ten- 

 derness, there is inflammation of the body of the bladder; but if the 

 bladder be empty, and there is no increased heat or tenderness, there is 

 inflammation of the kidney. 



Among the causes are improper food. There is no more frequent cause 

 than hay that has been mow-burnt, or oats that are musty. The farmer 

 should look well to this. Oats that have been dried on the kiln acquire a 

 diuretic property, and if horses are long fed on them, the continual excite- 

 ment of this organ which they produce will degenerate into inflammation. 

 Too powerful, or too-often-repeated diuretics produce inflammation of the 

 kidney; or a degree of irritation and weakness of that organ, that disposes 

 to inflammation from causes that would otherwise have no injurious eflect. 

 If a horse is sprained in the loins, by being urged on, far or fast, by a 

 heavy rider, or by being suddenly pulled up on his haunches, the inflam- 

 mation of the muscles of the loins is often speedily transferred to the 

 kidneys, with which they lie in contact. Exposure to cold is another fre- 

 quent origin of this malady, especially if the horse be drenched with rain, 

 or the wet drips upon his loins ; and more particularly, if he were previ- 

 ously disposed to inflammation, or these organs had been previously 

 weakened. For this reason, hackney-coach horses and others, exposed to 

 the vicissitudes of the weather, and often fed on unwholesome provender, 

 have, or should have, their loins protected by a leather or a cloth. 



