THE HORSE IN SICKNESS AND DISEASE 363 



DIABETES. 



Diabetes, polyuria, or profuse staling, has been divided 

 into a number of distinct disorders according as the 

 composition of the urine exhibited different constituents 

 or proportions. Thus we have watery diabetes, sugary 

 diabetes, etc. We shall here merely speak of excess of 

 urine, as inflammation is already mentioned as the cause of 

 deficiency. 



The symptoms, in ordinary cases, attendant upon this 

 immoderate flux of urine aie insatiable thirst, with, unless 

 this be satisfied, a refusal to feed as usual, unhealthy 

 appearance of the coat, dispiritedness, inability to bear 

 fatigue, loss of flesh, and debility. 



The quantity of urine voided in some of these cases is so 

 great as to be quite incredible. The stall is deluged with 

 the flow. In an account of the disorder as it occurred at 

 one time, Lassange informs us the horses attacked voided 

 five or six pints of perfectly clear urine every hour. 



The urine is thin, aqueous, and perfectly transparent. 

 Carbonate of lime, sulphate of soda, muriate of soda, 

 benzoate of soda, and phosphate of lime, amounting 

 altogether to one-eighth of the fluid, and seven-eighths of 

 water, make up the healthy urine of a horse ; but in simple 

 diabetes the water forms more than ninety-five per cent, of 

 the fluid. 



Treatment. — Should the animal be attacked during the 

 spring or summer season, a desirable change would be from 

 the stable to the grass-field ; or, when this cannot con- 

 veniently be done, soiling may be practised with advantage. 

 Should the water appear to be the cause, and there be no 

 means, or very great difliculty of obtaining any other kind, 

 we may put a piece of chalk into the paii with a view of 

 neutralising the obnoxious impregnation. 



The medicines most serviceable in this disorder are 

 astringents and tonics. Mr. Percivall's prescription is com- 

 posed of sesqui-carbonate of iron and prepared chalk, of 

 each half an ounce, made up with syrup, and given once a 

 day. Mr. Castley gave powdered galls, alum, and bole 

 armeniac, each one ounce, ginger one drachm, in a quart of 

 beer; half at night and half in the morning. Mr. Stewart 

 speaks in laudable terms of opium. He recommends daily 



