360 DISEASES OF THE UBINABY APPABATUS. 



frequent and weak. Cardiac hypertrophy produced a few weeks 

 after the beginning of nephritis — a phenomenon quite frequent in 

 the human race — is unknown in domestic animals. We have ob- 

 served neither pulmonary disease (bronchitis, pneumonia), nor dis- 

 ease of the pericardium (pericarditis), etc., which occur in the human 

 species in the course of nephritis. But we can recognize an œdem- 

 atous tumefaction of the subcutaneous connective tissue — on the 

 head, chest, belly, scrotum, and upon the articulations (De Cesare): — 

 and dropsies of the splanchnic cavities. 



When nephritis is about to end in death, and in all very serious 

 cases, the clinical tableau which has just been sketched is compli- 

 cated by the symptoms of uremia, especially vertigo, spasms, and 

 dyspnœa. In a cow suffering from double nephritis, Pflug ob- 

 served, a few hours before death, eclampsia, opisthotonos, and a 

 deep coma during the intervals of the attacks. In a horse with 

 bilateral acute diffused nephritis we have ourselves observed, twelve 

 hours before death, a deep alteration of the general sensibility, a 

 great weakness, staggering, abundant perspiration, muscular con- 

 tractions, and a considerable elevation of temperature (about 

 42° C). 



True uremia is very rare in our various domestic species, except 

 in the dog. In this animal, in cases of urinary calculus, of urethral 

 contraction, and paralysis of the bladder, vomitings are quite fre- 

 quently observed, also paretic weakness, coma, a lowering of the 

 temperature, and even epileptiform attacks ; these are uremic 

 symptoms. In the sheep, Dammann has seen an alternation of 

 epileptiform contractions with a soporific state. 



Concerning the nature of uremia we must refer to treatises upon 

 general pathology. We shall only say that it consists of an accu- 

 mulation, in blood and tissues, of the principles of urine, above all 

 of urea and potash salts. The theory of Traube, according to which 

 uremia would be the consequence of a cerebral œdema, and that of 

 Frerichs, who considers as the cause of uremia the transformation 

 of urea in the blood into carbonate of ammonia, have not been 

 confirmed by decisive experiments. 



The principal symptoms of uremia in man are : cephalalgia, som- 

 nolence, anxiety, delirium, nausea, vomitings, restlessness, slight 

 convulsions and serious eclampsia (epileptic habit), these phenomena 

 are often followed by amaurosis or uremic deafness (central troubles). 

 In addition are observed hiccough, diarrhea, the elimination of urea ' 



