CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS. 361 



through the cutaneous surface, pruritus, slowing and latei accelera- 

 tion of the pulse, a temperature which is above or below the normal, 

 dyspoœa, etc. 



Course. The termination of acute nephritis is defined to be 

 from the first to the second week. Rarely the animals succumb 

 within a few days. 



Prognosis. The number of fatal cases is nearly equal to the 

 cures. The development of uremic symptoms considerably aggra- 

 vates the gravity of the prognosis : death is generally produced by 

 cerebral or pulmonary œdema. The passage to a chronic state is 

 exceptional. 



Differential diagnosis. Acute nephritis is often confounded 

 with the inflammatory conditions of other organs of the abdominal 

 cavity : with peritonitis, colics, enteritis, cystitis, metritis, etc. These 

 errors are only possible when we neglect to make the examination of 

 the urine, which permits us in all cases to affirm the diagnosis of 

 nephritis. Besides, the symptoms furnished by the exploration of 

 the bladder, of the uterus, etc., may guide the practitioner. 



Treatment. We should prescribe absolute rest and avoid all 

 irritating food or medicines (frictions of essence of turpentine, and 

 cantharides ointment on the back). For the dog we should recom- 

 mend a milk diet, which has sufficiently shown its value in human 

 medicine. The depletion of the kidneys must be rendered more 

 easy by means of diaphoretics and laxatives ; diuretics and deriva- 

 tives locally in the shape of wet, tepid compresses. 



In large animals we must produce sudorific action by repeated 

 and energetic rubbings upon the surface of the whole body, also by 

 w^arm blankets, wet, tepid compresses (Priessuitz's) applied upon 

 the trunk, etc. ; we may also resort to sialogogues, to subcutaneous 

 injections of hydrochlorate of pilocarpine (for the horse, 0.20 

 gramme; the ox, 0.50 gramme; the dog, 0.005 to 0.02 gramme); 

 in small animals (dog and pig) the cutaneous perspiration is some- 

 times induced by warm baths, the temperature of which is gradu- 

 ally brought to that of the body ; warm compresses may also be 

 used. 



Among the purgatives, drastics have the most favorable action 

 cabeuse they draw a large quantity of water from the organism 

 (calomel, aloes, infusion of senna for the dog) ; we must avoid those 

 irritating the kidney. The same indication obtains for the diuretics, 

 among which we should only employ the alkalines, mainly acetate 



