140 DISEASES OF THE HOKSE; 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are ardent thirst and profuse secre- 

 tion of a pale urine of a high density (1.060 and upward), rapid loss 

 of condition, scurfy, unthrifty skin, costiveness or irregularity of 

 the bowels, indigestion, and the presence, in the urine, of a sweet 

 principle — grape sugar or inosite, or both. This may be most 

 promptly detected by touching the tip of the tongue with a drop. 

 Sugar may be detected simply by adding a teaspoonful of liquid 

 yeast to 4 ounces of the urine and keeping it lightly stopped at a 

 temperature of 70° to 80° F, for 12 hours, when the sugar will be 

 found to have been changed into alcohol and carbon dioxid. The 

 loss of density will give indication of the quantity of sugar trans- 

 formed ; thus a density of 1.035 in a urine which was formerly 1.060 

 would indicate about 15 grains of sugar to the fluid ounce. 



Inosite, or muscle sugar, frequently present in the horse's urine, 

 and even replacing the glucose, is not fermentable. Its presence may 

 be indicated by its sweetness and the absence of fermentation or by 

 Gallois's test. Evaporate the suspected urine at a gentle heat almost 

 to dryness, then add a drop of a solution of mercuric nitrate and 

 evaporate carefully to dryness, when a yellowish residue is left that 

 is changed on further cautious heating to a deep rose color, which 

 disappears on cooling and reappears on heating. 



In advanced diabetes, dropsies in the limbs and under the chest 

 and belly, puffy, swollen eyelids, cataracts, catarrhal inflammation 

 of the lungs, weak, uncertain gait, and drowsiness may be noted. 



Treatment is most satisfactory in cases dependent on some curable 

 disease of liver, pancreas, lungs, or brain. Thus, in liver diseases, a 

 run at pasture in warm weather, or in winter a warm, sunny, well- 

 aired stable, with sufficient clothing and laxatives (sulphate of soda, 

 1 ounce daily) and alkalies (carbonate of potassium, one-fourth 

 ounce) may benefit. To this may be added mild blistering, cupping, 

 or even leeching over the last ribs. Diseases of the brain or pancreas 

 may be treated according to their indications. The diet should be 

 mainly albuminous, such as wheat bran or middlings, peas, beans, 

 vetches, and milk. Indeed, an exclusive milk diet is one of the very 

 best remedial agencies. It may be given as skimmed milk or butter- 

 milk, and in the last case combines an antidiabetic remedy in the 

 lactic acid. Under such an exclusive diet recent and mild cases are 

 often entirely restored, though at the expense of an attack of rheu- 

 matism. Codeia, one of the alkaloids of opium, is strongly recom- 

 mended by Tyson. The dose for the horse would be 10 to 15 grains 

 thrice daily. In cases in which there is manifest irritation of the 

 brain, bromid of potassium, 4 drams, or ergot one-half ounce, may 

 be resorted to. Salicylic acid and salicylate" of sodium have proved 

 useful in certain cases; also phosphate of sodium. Bitter tonics (es-. 

 pecially nux vomica one-half dram) are useful in improving the di- 

 gestion and general health. 



