220 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



of the sheep, lobulated in structure ; that is, they consist of 

 numerous distinct lobules united together. These organs are 

 subject to several affections, as red water, gravel, calculus, and 

 also pure inflammation. Acute inflammation of the kidneys 

 may be produced by blows on the loins, by violent muscular 

 exertion, by exposure to cold, and by bad or musty food. 



The first symptoms are, a frequent desire to void urine, 

 accompanied by a straining effort, which causes the ejection 

 of small quantities only (strangury), a tenderness and heat on 

 the loins, dulness, loss of appetite and fever. In a few days 

 these symptoms increase, and the urine, instead of being lim- 

 pid, is tinged with blood ; streaks of pure coagulated blood 

 also appear in it. The horns and ears are cold, the muzzle 

 dry, the pulse hard and quick, the breathing accelerated. 

 Severe dysentery or diarrhoea now comes on, with violent 

 straining ; the alvine excretions are scanty and foetid : at 

 length they cease, though the straining continues as severe as 

 before. The animal moans heavily from intense pain ; its 

 back becomes bowed as it stands crouching ; the difficulty of 

 passing the urine increases, and at length total suppression 

 ensues. The animal trembles, breaks out into sweats, and 

 utters distressing groans ; the hind limbs become paralysed, 

 the pulse sinks, and the poor beast falls to rise no more. 



After death the inflammation of the kidneys is found to ex- 

 tend to the large intestines, and in cows often to the uterus, and 

 the blood is strongly tainted with urine. The treatment in 

 such cases must be prompt and decided. The first thing to be 

 done is the abstraction of blood, and that in no stinted quan- 

 tity ; the loins must be fomented with hot water for a con- 

 siderable time, and afterwards covered with a large mustard- 

 poultice, or rubbed with an irritating ointment, composed of 

 one drachm of tartarized antimony and five or six of lard. 

 This will produce pustules and great irritation of the skin : 

 blister-ointment, from the well-known effects of the cantharis 

 on the urinary organs, is inadmissible. Purgatives must be 

 administered, and emollient injections of gruel, or linseed 

 infusion, and laudanum. The food should consist of bran- 

 mashes and gruel. The purgatives to be selected are ole- 

 aginous, as castor or linseed oil : they must be persevered 

 in until the bowels are fairly unloaded and their action is 

 natural. 



During the inflammatory symptoms no diuretic medicines 

 certainly should be given ; they will only stimulate fruitlessly 



