236: DADD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGEK* 
urine; set the mixture in a warm place, and, if sugar be present, 
fermentation will soon commence, and earbonts acid vising i in the 
tube will depress the upper surface of the urine. 
Very few experiments have ever been made on the diabetic 
urine of horses; but large quantities of saccharine matters have 
been obtained from the diabetic urine of man, by a process of 
evaporation. Watson tells us, in his “Lectures,” that he has 
seen large fai cakes of beautifully crystallized diabetic sugar. 
‘It differs somewhat from common sugar, the produa -f the 
sugar-cane, and approaches more uearly to the sugar of grapes. 
This kind of sugar, which may also be produced artificial.y from 
starch, chemists have named glucose. By rapid evaporation of 
the water, a thick syrup is produced, resembling treacle; but Dr. 
Macintyre, who has presented to our hospital museum some very 
fine specimens of this sugar, prepared by Dr. Blandford, informs 
me that to get it well crystallized, the evaporation in a steam- 
bath should be stopped while the urine is of thin consistence, It 
may be quickly reduced to one-half, perhaps, of its original quan 
tity; then it should be set aside, in shallow plates, and in the 
course of ten days or a fortnight the sugar will be deposited.” 
An animal the subject of diabetes is usually very thirsty. The 
urine is light-colored, almost transparent. It has not the ordi- 
nary odor of common urine, but something like musty hay. 
Treatment.—The indications in the treatment of this affectior 
ure, to give tone to the system and sustain the general health. A 
drachm or two of the sulphate of iron may be occasionally mixed 
with the oats (the latter must be of the best quality), and one 
ounce of the fluid extract of buchu may be given every night.* 
Good wholesome food and an occasional drink of slippery-elm 
tea are also indicated. Should the disease not yield to such treat- 
ment as this, the case may be considered incurable. 
Cause.—In regard to the cause of diabetes, very little is known ; 
but, to set the matter right in the minds of some who believe that 
nothing but diuretics and inferior provender excite it, I offer the 
following quotation from the pen of the author just named. I 
think, however, that bad food is most likely to produce diabetes. 
* The buohu is not a direct diuretic, like resin or niter; therefore it may be 
given with safety. It acts as a tcnic and sudorific, and operates physiologically 
en the kidneys. 
