THE BLADDER. 21/ 



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

 by the consideration of the peculiarity of the orphan affected. Bleeding must 

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

 should next be administered ; and a counter-inflammation excited as near 

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

 be fomented with hot water, or covered with a mustard poultice ; but 

 no cantharides or turpentine must he used, and, most of all, must no 

 diuretic be given internally. When the groom finds this difficulty or sup- 

 pression of staling, he immediately has recourse to a diuretic ball, to force 

 oil the urine ; and by thus farther irritating a part already too much ex- 

 cited, he adds fuel to fire, and frequently destroys the horse. When the 

 action of the purgative begins a little to cease, white hellebore may be 

 administered, in doses of a scruple three times a day, with or without 

 emetic tartar. The horse should be warmly clothed ; his legs well band- 

 aged, and plenty of water offered to him. The food should be carefully 

 examined, and anything that could have excited, or that may prolong the 

 irritation, carefully removed. 



DIABETES, OR PROFUSE STALING, 



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

 undue irritation of the kidney, by bad food or strong diuretics ; and 

 sometimes follows inflammation of the kidney. It can seldom be traced 

 in the horse to any disease of the digestive organs. The treatment is ob- 

 scure, and the result often uncertain. It is, evidently, increased action 

 of the kidney, and therefore the most rational plan of treatment is to en- 

 deavour to abate that action ; and nearly the same course should be pur- 

 sued in the early stage of diabetes, as in actual inflammation; but the 

 lowering system should not be carried to so great an extent. To bleeding, 

 purging, and counter-irritation, medicines of an astringent quality should 

 succeed, as catechu, the powdered leaf of the wortle-berry (uva ursi), and 

 opium, in doses of two drachms each of the two first, and half a drachm 

 of the last. Very careful attention should be paid to the food. The hay 

 and oats should be of the best quality ; and green meat, and especially 

 carrots, will be very serviceable. 



^ THE BLADDER. 



The urine separated by the blood is discharged by the minute vessels, of 

 which we have spoken, into some larger canals, which terminate in a 

 cavity or reservoir hi the body of the kidney, called its pelvis; and thence 

 is conveyed by a duct, called the ureter, to a larger reservoir, the bladder. 

 It is constantly flowing from the kidney through the ureter; and were there 

 not this provision for its detention, it would be incessantly and annoy- 

 ingly dribbling from the animal. The bladder lies in, and, when distended 

 by urine, nearly fills, the cavity of the great bones of the haunch, termed 

 the pelvis. It has three coats— the outer one covering the greater part of 

 it, and being a portion of the peritoneum ; the muscular, consisting of 

 two layers of fibres, as in the stomach ; the external, running longitudi- 

 nally, and the inner circularly, so that it may yield to the pressure of the 

 urine as it enters, and contract again into an exceedingly small space as it 

 runs out, and by that contraction assist in the expulsion of the urine. 

 The inner or mucous coat contains numerous little glands which pour out 

 a mucous fluid to defend the bladder from the acrimony of the urine. The 

 bladder terminates in a small neck, round which is a strong muscle, keeping 



