DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 22/ 
To render it thus poisonous, however, its decomposition in the 
blood appears to be requisite. 
This is one of the numerous instances showing that the carry- 
ing fluid of the body may become the vehicle of disease and death, 
if it be not duly purged of deleterious matters which pertain tc 
the unceasing processes of organic life. If carbonic acid be net 
extricated by the lungs, the animal functions are as certainly an? 
almost as speedily extinguished by that gas as the flame of a taper 
might be, and we know that when the outiet of the liver is shut 
ap, when the blood is not pumped from the excrementitious bile, 
the powers of animal life are weakened and sometimes utterly 
und rapidly destroyed.” 
Frequent complaints are made to me, by horsemen, that theiz 
horses do not urinate sufficiently, and I am requested to furnish 
diuretics. I usually advise the former not to feel alarmed, for 
Nature regulates these matters, and, in time, all will be well; pro- 
vided, however, good food is furnished, and proper care is taken 
of the animal. The subject being one of importance, both as 
regards man and horse, I here introduce the following article 
from Watson’s “ Lectures:” 
“Suppression of urine, for a considerable time, is not, however, 
necessarily and universally fatal. Patients laboring under the 
epidemic cholera would secrete not a drop of water for some days, 
and yet recover. It was remarkable how entirely free such patienta 
were from any approach toward coma. Was the urea here drained 
off from the blood in the enormous and unnatural flux from the 
stomach and bowels? I think it probably was; but chemicas 
search has not detected that substance in the fluids so effused. 
Schmidt thinks, indeed, that it would be found but for its rapid 
decomposition into carbonate of ammonia. There are, however. 
some very singular instances on record of persons who have passed 
days and even weeks without secreting urine, and without skow- 
ing any other indication of impaired health, What degree of 
credit such narratives deserve I do not know; but assuming that 
there was neither fraud nor mistake, it may be suspected tha: 
either the natural secretion was compensated by some vicarious 
or supplemental discharge, or that a small quantity of urine was 
ectually separated by the kidneys. ‘If any water, however small 
the quantity,’ remarks Sir Henry Halford, ‘had been made in 
these cases, I should have thought it pcssible that the patient 
