vISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 235 
when laid upon a board, they flattened like soft dough. The liver 
was softened, or, as it is generally called, rotten. It appeared 
pale, was of a clay color externally, and could be broken down 
with the slightest pressure. The stomach was healthy, and con- 
tained about four quarts of fluid. The thoracic viscera healthy ; 
heart, large and firm ; lungs, sound, but discolored, doubtlese &-m 
lying so long after death. 
An idea suggests itself in regard to the case now under consid- 
eratior: that the liver did not properly prepare the blocd for the 
secretion of the urine; hence the morbid condition of the kidneys 
and bladder. But, although these organs are shown to have been 
exercising a diseased secretory action, yet doubtless the primary 
seat of the affection was in the digestive apparatus, the stomach, 
and more particularly the liver. This question is not only a very 
important one in a pathological point of view, but it is also one 
of peculiar interest to the practitioner in his treatment of disease. 
It directs him to the proper remedies to employ, and the action 
of these remedies on the organs affected. In the treatment of all 
diseases, it is not only necessary to understand the cause, but to 
know the organ or viscus affected.” 
ALBumMINous Urine (“ THick WaTER”’). 
This is rather a rare disease among horses; yet, as it does vcca- 
sionally occur, it may be proper to take some notice of it. Those 
cases which have come under the author’s notice have occurred in 
animals of the scrofulous diathesis, most of which animals had a 
scurfy skin, and were otherwise unthrifty, just the subjects for 
disease of the kidneys; for it is well known that when the excre- 
mentitious function of the skin is interrupted, the kidneys have 
to perform double labor. Their function is then overtaxed ; hence, 
disease. 
Albuminous urine is often associated with various forms of dis- 
ease, or, rather, is the result of disease, or may follow the use of 
improper medicines or bad food. Such are said to be the cause 
of this malady (functional) in the human; and, reasoning from 
analogy, we infer that the same causes operate on the horse, for 
all the functions of his body are carried on after the same general 
plan that obtains in the body of man. 
WATSON teaches us ** that some arucies or 100d, and some medi- 
