316 STONE IN THE BLADDER. 



in the appearance or the discharge of the urine, the horse should be carefully 

 examined. For this purpose he must be thrown. If there is stone in the 

 bladder, it will, while the horse lies on its back, press on the rec-tum, and may 

 be distinctly felt if the hand is introduced into the rectum. Several cases have 

 lately occurred of successful extraction of the calculus ; but to effect this it will 

 always be necessary to have recourse to the aid of a veterinary practitioner. 



Both the practitioner and the amateur will be gratified by the description ol 

 a catheter, invented by Mr. Taylor, a veterinary surgeon of Nottingham, which 

 may be introduced into the bladder without difficulty or pain, and the existence 

 and situation of the calculus readily ascertained. 



It is made of polished round iron, three feet long, one and a half inch in cir- 

 cumference, and with eight joints at its farther extremity. The solid part between 

 each joint is one and a quarter inch in length, and one and a half in circum- 

 ference, the moveable part being ten inches, and the solid part two feet two 

 inches. The latter has a slight curve commencing one foot from the handle, and 

 continuing to the first joint of the moveable part, in order to give it facility in 

 passing the urethra, where it is attached to the parietes of the abdomen. The 

 joints are on the principle of a half joint, so that the moveable part would only 

 act in a straight line, or curve in one direction. The joints are perfectly 

 rounded and smooth when acting either in a straight line or a curve. It is re- 

 presented, both in its straight and curved state in the following cuts. 



Many horses occasionally void a considerable quantity of gravel, sometimes 

 without inconvenience, and at others with evident spasm or pain. A diuretic 

 might be useful in such case, as increasing the flow of urine, and possibly wash- 

 ing out the concretions before they become too numerous or bulky- > 



The urine having passed the neck of the bladder, flows along the urethra, and 

 is discharged. The sheath of the penis is sometimes considerably enlarged. 

 When at the close of acute disease, there are swellings and effusions of fluid, 

 under the chest and belly, this part seldom escapes. Diuretics, with a small 

 portion of cordial medicine, will be beneficial, but in extreme cases slight scari- 

 fications may be necessary. The inside of the sheath is often the seat of disease. 

 The mucous matter, naturally secreted there to defend the part from the acri- 

 mony of the urine, accumulates and becomes exceedingly offensive, and pro- 

 duces swelling, tenderness, and even excoriation, with considerable discharge. 

 Fomentation with warm water, and the cleansing of the part with soap and 

 water, aided perhaps by the administration of a diuretic ball, will speedily 

 remove every inconvenience. Carters are too apt to neglect cleanliness in this 

 respect. 



