160 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
Sometimes this magma is condensed into a solid mass in the bladder 
by reason of the binding action of the mucus and other organic mat- 
ter, and then forms a conglomerate stone of nearly uniform consist- 
ency and without stratification. 
Symptoms of stone in the bladder—The symptoms of stone in the 
bladder are more obvious than those of renal calculus. The rough, 
mulberry calculi especially lead to irritation of the mucous mem- 
brane and frequent passing of urine in small quantities and often 
mingled with mucus or blood or containing minute, gritty particles. 
At times the flow is suddenly arrested, though the animal continues 
to strain and the bladder is not quite emptied. In the smooth, phos- 
phatic variety the irritation is much less marked and may even be 
altogether absent. With the pultaceous deposit in the bladder there 
is incontinence of urine, which dribbles away continually and keeps 
the hair on the inner side of the thighs matted with soft magma. In 
all cases alike the calculus may be felt by the examination of the 
bladder with the oiled hand in the rectum. The pear-shaped outline 
of the bladder can be felt beneath, and within it the solid, oval body. 
It is most easily recognized if the organ is half full of liquid, as then 
it is not grasped by the contracting walls of the bladder, but may be 
made to move from place to place in the liquid. Ifa pultaceous mass 
is present it has a soft, doughy feeling, and when pressed an indenta- 
tion is left. 
In the mare the hard stone may be touched by the finger introduced 
through the short urethra, 
Treatment of stone in the bladder.—The treatment of stone in the 
bladder consists in the removal of the offending body; in the mare 
this is easily effected with the lithotomy forceps. These are slightly 
warmed and oiled, and carried forward along the floor of the passage 
of the vulva for 4 inches, when the orifice of the urethra will be felt 
exactly in the median line. Through this the forceps are gradually 
pushed with gentle, oscillating movement until they enter the bladder 
and strike against the hard surface of the stone. The stone is now 
grasped between the blades, care being taken to include no loose fold 
of the mucous membrane, and it is gradually withdrawn with the 
same careful, oscillating motions as before. Facility and safety in 
seizing the stone will be‘greatly favored by having the bladder half 
full of liquid, and if necessary one oiled hand may be introduced 
into the rectum or vagina to assist. The resulting irritation may be 
treated by an injection of laudanum, 1 ounce in a pint of tepid water. 
The removal of the stone in the horse is a much more difficult pro- 
ceeding. It consists in cutting into the urethra just beneath the anus 
and introducing the lithotomy forceps from this forward into the 
bladder, as in the mare. It is needful to distend the urethra with 
