THE URINARY APPARATUS. 339 



effects on tlie animal. Sometimes they cause no notice- 

 able symptoms ; in other cases there are signs of sup- 

 purative nephritis^ but of a chronic character. The 

 uncertainty of diagnosis and the deeply- seated position of 

 the concretion are impediments to remedial measures. 

 Stimulants freely administered, and. opiates when there ia 

 much pain, may be tried. The value of the so-called 

 lithontriptics, hydrochloric acid, for example, in such cases 

 is probably nil. These calculi must be considered to 

 result from an excess of salines or deficiency of water in 

 the urine ; probably a portion of inspissated mucus forms 

 the nucleus. Cases of free incision through the side and 

 removal of calculus from the kidney through the wound 

 have, I believe, been known, but there are many objec- 

 tions to this bold operation. It is better, if possible, 

 to fatten the patient for the butcher. 



Parasites have been observed in the kidney of the ox, 

 but are less frequent than in the horse. 



Encephaloid Cancer of the kidney. Professor Walley 

 records a case in the 'Veterinary Journal,' vol. ii, 1878, 

 p. 9. It was associated with similar tumours in the omen- 

 tum, and nothing was known of the history of the case. 



Section 3. — Abnormalities of the Urinary Passages. 



Sometimes a small calculus passes from the kidney into 

 the ureter and there becomes impacted, either on account 

 of its size or of spasm of the tube. Then severe colicky 

 pains take place, with straining, stamping the feet, lashing 

 the tail, and perhaps looking round at the side, until re- 

 laxation supervenes and the concretion passes on into the 

 bladder. Occasionally diagnosis in such cases is possible 

 from exploration per anum, when the stone may be re- 

 moved by incision through the wall of the bowel. This 

 operation is seldom called for. Sometimes the calculus 

 becomes fixed at the opening into the bladder, when 

 dilatation of the ureter and of the pelvis of the kidney 

 will result from accumulation of urine behind the obstruc- 

 tion. In these cases full doses of opium are indicated 



