392 DISEASES OF THE URINARY APPARATUS. 



or persistent strangury, sensitiveness of the bladder to pressure^ 

 etc. Rheumatismal hemoglobinemia of the horse, simple cystitis^ 

 nephritis, peritonitis, the pains of parturition, cannot at all embar- 

 rass the practitioner ; in all these circumstances the troubles of 

 micturition are not lasting, and the bladder is not distended. 



Treatment. The treatment of mechanical retention is purely 

 surgical (urethrotomy, cystotomy, puncture, circumcision, etc.). 



In case of the so-called dynamic retention, which is generally 

 produced by a paralysis of the bladder, we must try to empty this- 

 by rectal or abdominal pressure or by catheterization. We may also 

 try to produce micturition as a reflex, by irritating the opening of 

 the urethral canal, or by frictions along the perineum. Paralysis 

 is much more frequent than spasm. 



In the case of spasm of the sphincter it is proper to make repeated 

 frictions upon the perineum, with essence of turpentine, oil of anise, 

 cumin, fennel, chamomile; internally we may also administer these 

 agents, or morphine, belladonna, hydrate of chloral, etc. Con- 

 firmed paralysis of the bladder must be combated by strychnine,, 

 physostigmine, and electricity. 



Incontinence of urine, an affection which is the opposite of reten- 

 tion, is but a common phenomenon of various diseases, especially 

 the morbid states of the spinal cord. It is almost always due to 

 paralysis of the vesical sphincter, exceptionally to muscular spasm, 

 of the bladder (in cystitis). It may also have as causes weakness of 

 the sphincter (in very old animals), its paresis (cystitis), its section 

 (cystotomy), or its destruction (by tumors), the distention of the 

 bladder by calculi, or of the urethral bulb by polypus, etc. Some- 

 times it follows prolonged retention of the urine. Its treatment 

 varies with the nature of the causal affection. We must combat 

 paralysis of the vesical sphincter by strychnine, electricity, cold 

 injections into the bladder, and toning up of the constitution. 



Catarrh and Inflammation of the Bladder : Cystitis. 



Catarrh and inflammation of the bladder, like the other affections 

 of this organ, belong to the domain of surgery. They are, however, 

 in close relation with diseases of the kidneys : their symptoms are 

 quite similar to those of the latter, their treatment requiring mainly 

 internal medication, and retention of the urine, if prolonged but a 

 little, leads constantly to cystitis. We have therefore thought best 

 to describe it briefly here. 



