372 THE HORSE. 



a dose of physic, and perhaps the abstraction of three or four 

 quarts of blood. Green food should be <j:iven, and the diet should 

 be attended to as for diabetes. If the urine is scanty, yet evidently 

 there is no inflammation, two or three drachms of nitre may be 

 given with the mash at night, but this remedy should be employed 

 with great caution. 



Inaction of the kidneys is so common in every stable that 

 the groom seldom thinks it necessary even to inform his master of 

 its occurrence. An ounce of nitre is mixed and given with a bran- 

 mash as a matter of course, and sometimes more violent diuretics 

 are resorted to, such as powdered resin and turpentine. Very 

 often the kidneys are only inactive because the horse has not been 

 regularly watered, and in those stables where an unlimited supply 

 is allowed this condition is comparatively rare. There is no harm 

 in resorting to nitre occasionally, but if it is often found necessary 

 to employ this drug, the health is sure to suffer, and an alteration 

 in the diet should be tried in preference. At all events, if it m 

 given, the horse should be allowed to drink as much and as often 

 as he likes, without which the stimulus to the kidneys will be 

 doubly prejudicial, from being in too concentrated a form. 



DISEASES OF THE BLADDER. 



The bladder is subject to inflammation of its coats or neck- 

 to spasm — and to the formation of calculi. 



Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) is not very common 

 excepting when it is produced by irritants of a mechanical or chemi- 

 cal nature. Thus, when the kidneys secrete a highly irritating 

 urine, the bladder suffers in its passage, and we have the two 

 organs inflamed at the same time. Again, when cantharides have 

 been given with a view to stimulate exhausted nature, or when 

 they are absorbed from the surface of the skin, as sometimes hap- 

 pens in blistering, the bladder is liable to become inflamed. The 

 sj/mptoms are — a quick pulse — pain in the hind-quarter, evinced 

 by the looks of the animal in that direction — and constant strain- 

 ing to pass the urine, which is thick and mixed with mucus, or 

 in aggravated cases with purulent matter. The treatment to be 

 adopted if the case is severe will consist in venesection, back-rak- 

 ing, and purgation with linseed or castor oil, avoiding aloes, which 

 h^ve a tendency to irritate the bladder. Linseed tea should be 

 given as the sole drink, and scalded linseed mixed with a bran- 

 mash as food. The following ball may also be given, and repeated 

 if necessary : — 



Take of Powdered Opium 1 drachm. 



Tartar emetic H drachm. 



To be EJdde up into a ball with Linseed Meal and boiling water, and 

 given every six hours. 



