138 DISEASES OF THE HOBSE. 



DIURESIS (POLYURIA, DIABETES INSIPIDUS, OR EXCESSIVE 

 SECRETION OF URINE). 



This consists in an excessive secretion of a clear, watery urine of a 

 low specific gravity (1.007) with a correspondingly ardent thirst, a 

 rapidly advancing emaciation, and great loss of strength and spirit. 



Causes. — Its causes may be any agent — ^medicinal, alimentary, or 

 poisonous — which unduly stimulates the kidneys ; the reckless admin- 

 istration of diuretics, which form such a common constituent of quack 

 horse powders; acrid diuretic plants in grass or hay; new oats still 

 imperfectly cured; an excess of roots or other very watery feed; a 

 full allowance of salt to animals that have become inordinately fond 

 of it; but, above all, feeding on hay, grain, or bran which has not 

 been properly dried and has become musty and permeated by fungi. 

 Thus hay, straw, or oats obtained in wet seasons and heating in the 

 rick or stack is especially injurious. Hence this malady, like coma 

 somnolentum (sleepy staggers), is widespread in wet seasons, and 

 especially in rainy districts. 



Sym/pt(mis. — The horse drinks deep at every opportunity and 

 passes urine on every occasion when stopped, the discharge being 

 pale, watery, of a low density, and inodorous ; in short, it contains a 

 great excess of water and a deficiency of the solid excretions. So 

 great is the quantity passed, however, that the small amount of 

 solids in any given specimen amounts in 24 hours to far more than 

 the normal— a fact in keeping with the rapid wasting of the tissues 

 and extreme emaciation. The flanks become tucked up, the fat dis- 

 appears, the bones and muscles stand out prominently, the skin be- 

 comes tense and hidebound, and the hair erect, scurfy, and deficient 

 in luster. The eye becomes dull and sunken, the spirits are de- 

 pressed, the animal is weak and sluggish, sweats on the slightest 

 exertion, and can endure little. The subject may survive for months, 

 or may die early of exhaustion. In the slighter cases, or when the 

 cause ceases to operate, a somewhat tardy recovery may be made. 



Treatment consists in stopping the ingestion of the faulty drugs, 

 poisons, or feed, and supplying sound hay and grain free from all 

 taint of heating or mustiness. A liberal supply of boiled flaxseed in 

 the drinking water at once serves to eliminate the poison and to 

 sheathe and protect the irritated kidneys. Tonics like sulphate or 

 phosphate of iron (2 drams morning and evening) and powdered 

 gentian or Peruvian bark (4 drams) help greatly by bracing the 

 system and hastening repair. To these may be added agents calcu- 

 lated to destroy the fungus and eliminate its poisonous products. In 

 that form which depends en musty food nothing acts better than 

 large doses of iodid of potassium (2 drams), while in other cases 

 creosote, carbolic acid (1 dram), or oil of turpentine (4 drams), 

 properly diluted, may be resorted to. 



