DIABETES INSIPIDUS. 261 



animals, and may be ascribed to be due to some disease of the 

 nervous system. Claude Bernard has demonstrated that simple 

 polyuria (without sugar) may be produced on a certain location on 

 the left side of the brain, immediately in front of the diabetic 

 centre. Peyrani was able to obtain the same effect by intersection 

 of the splanchnic nerve, and by au irritation of the sympathetic 

 nerve of the neck. Kahler produced polyuria in rabbits by inject- 

 ing a solution of nitrate of silver into the medulla oblongata. In 

 man this disease occurs very frequently in those cases where 

 brain tumors, meningitis, encephalitis, and concussion or injury 

 of the brain is present. This disease is frequently seen in man 

 without any apparent cause, and may be frequently found in the 

 dog, and should be observed, as was proved in Holzmann's case. 

 The dog shown to him was three years old, having a pale mucous 

 membrane and rectal temperature of 38°. This animal drank 

 12.76 c.c. of water daily, and passed about 12.760 c.c. of urine. The 

 urine was yellowish, had a weak acid reaction, its specific gravity 

 was 1.006, and contained nothing abnormal. On post-mortem 

 nothing of any great consequence was found, except a myxoma 

 hyalinum, which appeared in the shape of a yellowish, transparent, 

 coagulated mass between the periosteum and the dura mater, 

 entirely surrounding the spine with the exception of a small por- 

 tion of the neck. There was also some hypersemia and slight 

 bleeding in the gray substance of the lumbar region. Five elon- 

 gated osteoid sarcoma masses were found pressing on the dura 

 mater. Holzmann could not decide which of these conditions was 

 the true cause of the disease. Of the translator's cases the disease 

 followed recovery from distemper in three of them, two had no 

 definite history, and one had an enormously enlarged thyroid gland. 

 All the cases passed large quantities of urine so pale that it could 

 only be said to be tinted with yellow; the reaction was not taken; 

 the mucous membranes were pale and blanched, especially the in- 

 side of the lips and tongue, which was yellowish-white. The ap- 

 petite was good, and it was noticed that bread and rice aggravated 

 the condition, whereas meat seemed to lessen the amount. They 

 drank large quantities of water, and gradually became thin, with 

 the exception of one which kept in fairly good condition. One 

 recovered and two died; three were lost sight of. On holding a 

 pos1>mortera in two there was nothing particular found, except the 



