1889.J 



The Chemistry of the Urine of the Horse. 



337 



According to Boussingault, horses do not excrete phosphoric acid ; 

 this is not in accordance with our experience. 



Diet possesses no influence over its production, and the effect of 

 rest and work is insignificant. I found that working horses excreted 

 1'897 grams as a mean, whilst horses at rest excreted 1*3 grams. 

 Age has no influence over its production. The largest amount found 

 was 9 "45 grams and the smallest 0'13 gram. 



The amount of P 2 5 will vary very considerably, many horses only 

 just possessing traces of the acid, others distinct quantities. I am 

 inclined to regard the mean amounts of phosphoric acid given above 

 for rest and work as rather high. 



Sulphuric Acid and other Sulphur Compounds. — Sulphur exists in 

 two distinct forms in the urine of horses ; the one I have calculated 

 as S0 3 , the other, known as sulphur compounds, is calculated as S. 

 Diet appeared to have no influence in the production of S0 3 , work, 

 on the other hand, increased it. Working horses excreted on an 

 average 15'289 grams, and horses at rest 10 6468 grams in twenty-four 

 hours. The S0 3 appears to be increased in working horses in the 

 same proportion as the urea. 



The sulphur compounds are said to exist in combination with 

 phenol and other organic substances ; on this point I am not prepared 

 to offer any opinion.* 



Work did not influence their production. Working horses yielded 

 7"6092 grams, horses at rest 7'3166 grams of sulphur. It is singular 

 that horses should excrete so much sulphuric acid and other sulphur 

 compounds. 



Chlorine. — More chlorine is excreted during rest than work, the 

 mean amount for the former being 31*7119 grams, and for the latter 

 21 '9806 grams in twenty-four hours. 



The chlorine is not affected by diet ; it is united with potassium 

 and sodium ; the amount of the latter metal in the urine of the horse 

 is small, and only yields with the chlorine about h\ grams of NaCI 

 daily ; the major part of the chlorine is united with potassium which 

 is most abundant. 



* Some excellent work, has, however, been done in this direction by Salkowski, 

 Tereg, and Munk. The latter observers state that on an average horses excrete 

 10886 grams of tribromphenol in twenty-four hours, 10175 grams of inorganic 

 sulphur, and 5 - 039 grams organic sulphur in twenty-four hours. The tribrom- 

 phenol is equivalent to 3 grams of phenol daily. Great importance is laid by these 

 observers on the excretion of phenol, a process which is suspended during intestinal 

 complaints, particularly colic, and is, according to them and others, a cause of the 

 rapid death in these affections, produced by the toxic effect of the unexcreted 

 phenol. The production of phenol in the healthy body is greatly influenced by 

 diet, being largest on rye and hay, one part peas and two parts oats, and on hay 

 alone ; it is smallest on rye alone, and next smallest on oats and hay. Salkowski is 

 inclined to regard Tereg and Munk's estimate of 3 grams of phenol daily as too high. 



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