STONE IN THE BLADDER. 445 



a coagulum will be formed, which will remain unchanged on the addition of 

 nitric acid, but will be dissolved by liquor ammonijB. In making this experi- 

 ment we should remember that a very small excess of the acetic acid may 

 prevent the albumin from coagulating. If there he hut little alhumin present, 

 the precipitate will not appear until the urine boils ; if much, it will show 

 itself before boiling point be reached. Another method is to " charge a test- 

 tube to a depth of ^ or | inch with strong nitric acid, and then pour a small 

 quantity of urine slowly down the side of the inclined plane, so that it may 

 rest on the acid without mixing with it. If albumin be present, an opaque 

 white cloud, disc-like in form, immediately appears in the plane of contact 

 of the two fluids " (Bristoive). 



Inflammation of the Kidneys 



is fortunately a very rare disease in the horse ; for it is dangerous 

 to life, and we know but little about it. It may be acute or 

 chronic. Probably its usual causes are chill, and irritation to 

 the kidneys by poisons, and by the products of certain bacteria 

 (p. 448), such as those of glanders and pneumonia. The chief 

 symptoms are : diminution of urine ; stranguiy (p. 442) ; colic ; 

 arching of the back; continued standing; stiff and straddling 

 gait ; intolerance of pressure on the loins ', and weakness. In fatal 

 cases, there are head symptoms shown by unconsciousness and 

 spasms. One of the most distinctive signs of this disease is 

 the presence of " casts " in the urine. These casts of varying 

 structure form in the minute (uriniferous) tubes which convey 

 away the urine from the kidneys, and which, as a rule, are from 

 g-^th to Yjj^Y^th of an inch in diameter. For information about 

 the nature of these casts and the methods of their examination, 

 I must refer my readers to special books on pathology. 



TREATMENT. — When the disease proceeds from chill, harmful 

 matters in the food, or poisons, we should foment the loins, and 

 give 1 lb. of Epsom salts in a quart of water, and I J oz. of lau- 

 danum in water two or three times a day if required. Linseed tea 

 will be a useful substitute for drinking water. The animal should 

 be kept at rest and warmly clothed and stabled. 



By fomenting the loins, keeping the surface of the body warm, 

 and giving a purgative, we diminish the inflamed condition of the 

 kidneys. As the kidneys excrete waste nitrogenous matter from 

 the system, the more exercise the horse takes, the more w^ork will 

 his kidneys have to do. 



When inflammation is secondary to other diseases, they, not it, 

 sliould be treated. 



Stone in the Bladder. 



The horse, like man, may be affected with calculi (stones) in the 

 kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. These calculi are, as a rule, 



