NEPHRITIS. 361 



of its mucous and nervous tissues, and to spasm of its muscular 

 structures. 



Such are amongst the principal forms of disease to which 

 the urinary organs are subject. They are also exceedingly 

 subject to injury (especially the kidneys) by the practices of 

 ignorant people, who, if not prevented, wdll persevere in the 

 indiscriminate use of diuretic medicines to those animals which 

 unfortunately may be under their control. Tor further remarks 

 upon this matter, the reader is referred to pages 169 and 170. 



NEPHRITIS. 



INFLAMMATION OP THE KIDNEYS. 



Nephritis, or Inflammation of the Kidneys, is not a common 

 disease ; although I believe it to be more so than is generally 

 supposed. Nephritis, in one of its forms, is very liable to be 

 mistaken for Inflammation of the Bowels. Violent attacks of 

 the malady are highly dangerous, Blaine says — " It is stated 

 that mares are more liable to Nephritis than horses, and horses 

 are more prone to Inflammation of the neck of the Bladder;" 

 and he further states that " his experience does not justify him 

 in believing it." My experience, however, warrants me in doing 

 so. I have not treated a very large number of these cases — 

 possibly no one veterinary surgeon has: but, out of fifteen 

 cases of Acute Nephritis, nine of them were mares ; while the 

 majority of cases which I have treated of Irritation of the neck 

 of the Bladder have been geldings. 



The disease may be limited to one kidney, or both organs 

 may be aflected at the same time. When both are acutely dis- 

 eased, the chances are that the patient will die. 



