146 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



(the floor of the fourth ventricle close to the point the injury to which 

 causes sugary urine). In abscess, tumor, or inflammation of the blad- 

 der, ureter or urethra, the urine is albuminous. 



It follows, therefore, that albumen in the urine does not indicate the 

 existence of any one specific disease, and excepting when due to weak- 

 ness or loss of function of the kidney cells, it must be looked on as an 

 attendant on another disease, the true nature of which we must try to 

 find out. These affections we must exclude one by one until we are left 

 to assume the non-inflammatory disorder of the secreting cells of the 

 kidney. It is especially important to exclude inflammation of the kid- 

 ney, and to do this may require a microscopic examination of the sedi- 

 ment of the urine and the demonstration of the entire absence of casts 

 of the uriniferous tubes. (See Nephritis.) 



To detect albumen in the urine, the suspected and frothy liquid must 

 be rendered sour by adding a few drops of nitric acid and then boiled 

 in a test tube. If a solid precipitate forms then add a few more drops of 

 nitric acid, and if the liquid does not clear it up it is albumen. A pre- 

 cipitate thrown down by boiling and redissolved by nitric acid is prob- 

 ably phosphate of lime. 



Treatment will usually be directed to the disease on which it is de- 

 pendent. In the absence of any other recognizable disease, mucilaginous 

 drinks of boiled flaxseed, slippery elm, or gum may be given, tannic acid 

 one-half dram twice daily, and fomentations or even mustard poultices 

 over the loins. When the disease is chronic and there is no attendant 

 fever (elevation of temperature), tonics (hydrochloric acid, 6 drops in a 

 pint of water ; phosphate of iron, 2 drams, or sulphate of quinia, 2 drams, 

 repeated twice daily) may be used. In all cases the patient should be 

 kept carefully from cold and wet; a warm, dry shed or in warm weather 

 a dry, sunny yard or pasture being especially desirable. 



SUGAR IN URINE DIABETES MELLITUS. 



This is a frequent condition of the urine in parturition fever, but is 

 practically unknown in cattle as a specific disease, associated with 

 deranged liver or brain. As a mere attendant on another disease it 

 will demand no special notice here. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS NEPHRITIS. 



This has been divided according as it affects the different parts of 

 the kidneys, as : (1) Its fibrous covering (perinephritis) ; (2) the secret- 

 ing tissue of its outer portion (parenchymatous) ; (3) the connective 

 tissue (interstitial) ; (4) the lining membrane of its ducts (catarrhal) ; and 

 (5) its pelvis or sac receiving the urine (pyelitis). It has also been 

 distinguished according to the changes that take place in the kidney, 

 especially as seen after death, according to the amount of albumen 

 present in the urir.e, and according as the affection is acute or chronic. 



