INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 915 



" When immersed in rum, they live 25 hours ; decoction of to- 

 bacco, 11 hours; strong oil of vitriol, 2 hours, 18 minutes; essential 

 oil of mint, 2 hours, 5 minutes. Were immersed without apparent 

 injury in spirits of camphor, 10 hours; fish oil, 49 hours; tinct. 

 aloes, 10 hours; in brine, 10 hours; solution indigo, 10 hours. A 

 number of small bots, with one that was full grown, were immersed 

 in a strong-solution of corrosive sublimate ; the small ones died in 

 one hour, but the full-grown one was taken out of the solution, six 

 hours after its immersion, apparently unhurt." 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 



Inflammation of the kidneys is generally caused by hard work, 

 by slipping, throwing the hind parts so suddenly under the belly 

 as to produce undue tension of the lumbar vertebrae, or from sud- 

 den colds by being exposed to rain and cold, the eating of musty 

 hay or oats, or unhealthy food of any kind. Too powerful or too 

 often repeated diuretics produce inflammation of the kidneys, or a 

 degree of irritation and weakness of them that disposes to inflam- 

 mation, from causes that would otherwise have no injurious effect. 



Symptoms. Less or more fever of the system generally, and 

 unwillingness to move, particularly the hind legs, dung hard and 

 coated, very sensitive to pressure on the spine. The horse looks 

 anxiously round at his flanks, stands with his hind legs wide 

 apart, and straddles as he walks, shows pain in turning ; the urine 

 is voided in small quantities, and is usually high colored, some- 

 times bloody ; the attempt to urinate becomes more frequent, and 

 the quantity voided smaller, until the animal strains violently, 

 without being able to pass any or but very little urine. The pulse 

 is quick and hard, full in the early stage of the disease, but 

 rapidly becoming small, though not losing its character of hard- 

 ness. Introduce the hand into the rectum. If the bladder is 

 found full and hard under the rectum, there is inflammation of 

 the neck of the bladder. If the bladder is empty, yet on the por- 

 tion of the intestines immediately over it there is more than nat- 

 ural heat and tenderness, there is inflammation of the body of the 

 bladder. If the bladder is empty and there is no increased ten- 

 derness and heat, there is inflammation of the kidneys. 



Treatment. If the pulse is high, about sixty, take five or six 

 quarts of blood, and give a fever ball ; to be repeated in three 

 hours if not better. Fever ball: 4 drachms Barbadoes aloes, 1 

 drachm tartar emetic, 2 drachms ginger, calomel about the size of 



