AZOTURIA 107 



The classification just made is only applicable in the 

 early stages or in the mild cases that do not go down. 

 Once the patient is permanently prone {"down" ex- 

 presses it better than anything) , we have azoturia per se, 

 and no classificiition of predominating symptoms is 

 required. 



"We now arrive at the discussion of that part of the 

 subject of azoturia which, aside from the treatment of 

 the disease, is of the greatest interest to the practitioner, 

 namely, its pathology. 



In the beginning of this chapter I stated that so far 

 no one had satisfactorily demonstrated just what azo- 

 turia really is from a pathological standpoint. I now 

 desire to modify this statement in so far as my own 

 satisfaction is concerned. I am thoroughly satisfied that 

 the theory which I here present is rational, sane and 

 practical. 



This theory was published in the October, 1912, issue 

 of the American Journal of Veterinary Medicine under 

 the signature of the writer and Dr. R. W. McCracken, a 

 physician. As far as we have been able to learn the 

 theory, which we named "the mechanical theory of azo- 

 turia, ' ' is entirely original with us, and up to the present 

 moment has not been successfully challenged or exploded. 

 Upon this theory was based the "azolysin treatment," 

 a treatment also original with us, and one which probably 

 has more recoveries to its credit than all other forms of 

 treatment combined. In my opinion the theory that has 

 the least ground for existence is the theory based on a 

 toxemia. How anyone can believe that a toxemia of a 

 nature so active that it can, in a few minutes, wholly 

 incapacitate a horse otherwise in the "pink" of condition, 

 and that wiU suddenly cease its action when the horse is 

 properly handled (as we have frequently seen in cases 

 quite well developed, with no direct treatment aimed at a 



