486 THE horsp:, 



for, if a glandered horse be once introduced into a stable, almost 

 every inhabitant of that stable will sooner or later become in- 

 fected and die. 



The urinary and genital organs are also lined by mucous 

 membranes. The hoi*se is subject to inflammation of the kid- 

 neys, from eating musty oats or mow-burnt hay, from exposure 

 to cold, injuries of the loins, and the imprudent use of diuretics. 

 Bleeding, physic, and counter irritants over the regions of the 

 loins should be had recourse to. Diabetes, or profuse staling, is 

 diflicult to treat. The inflammation that may exist should first 

 be subdued, and then ojjium, catechu, and the uva ursi admin- 

 istered. Inflammation of the blad^ei" will be best alleviated by 

 mucilaginous drinks of almost any kind, linseed gruel taking 

 precedence of all others. Inflammation of the neck of the blad- 

 der, evinced by the frequent and painful discharge of small 

 quantities of urine, will yield only to the abstraction of blood 

 and the exhibition of opium. A catheter may be easily passed 

 into the bladder of the mare, and urine evacuated ; but it will 

 require a skilful veterinary surgeon to eflfect this in the horse. 

 A stone in the bladder is readily detected by the practitioner, 

 and may be extracted with comparative ease. The sheath of 

 the penis is often diseased, from the presence of corrosive 

 mucous matter. This may easily be removed with warm soap 

 and water. 



To the mucous membranes belong the conjunctival tunic of 

 the eye ; and the diseases of the eye generally may be here con- 

 sidered. A scabby itchiness on the edge of the eyelid may be 

 cured by a diluted nitrated ointment of mercury. Warts should 

 be cut ofl' with the scissors, and the roots touched with lunar 

 caustic. Inflammation of the haw should be abated by the 

 employment of cooling lotions, but that useful defence of the eye 

 should never, if possible, be removed. Common ophthalmia will 

 yield as readily to cooling applications as inflammation of the 

 same organ in any other animal ; but there is another species of 

 inflammation, commencing in the same way as the first, and for 

 a while apparently yielding to treatment, but which changes 

 from eye to eye, and returns again and again, until blindness is 

 produced in one or botli organs of vision. Tlie most frequent 

 cause is hereditary predisposition. The reader cannot be too 



