92 
ON RED-WATER IN CATTLE. 
as we do the immense quantity of blood that passes through the 
kidneys, we are at once able to account for the great tendency of 
those organs to take on inflammatory action ; and, in the present 
case, in addition to the vitiated state of the blood and bile, there is 
local inflammation, the consequence of putrid matters in the uterus 
— its own partial inflammation, and stimulated intestines, which, 
owing to their proximity, will, in a greater or minor degree, very 
likely affect the kidneys. There must of necessity be turgescence 
of the renal vessels ; and, sooner or later, under this undue pres- 
sure, those vessels will give way at the commencement of bloody 
urine. At times the renal vessels may and do give way under 
the increased natural action which follows, and is the result of in- 
flammation and torpidity of the bowels, accompanied by obstinate 
constipation. 
Although few cases have come under my notice of this disease 
occurring in cattle not giving milk, as stots, calves, heifers, &c., 
still, as it does occur in many districts of our country, I shall bring 
it under your notice, with a more immediate reference to its appear- 
ance during the grazing season. During this season there are seve- 
ral predisposing and exciting causes that come into operation. 
Whatever has the effect of weakening the constitution acts as the 
former ; and the circumstances, whatever they may be, that give 
rise to any febrile or inflammatory action, tend to the latter. 
In the few accounts that have been given of the causes of this 
fatal disease, circumstances of the most opposite character are 
blamed, and, perhaps, with reason. To illustrate this I may 
mention that, in a popular work on cattle, two causes of opposite 
character have been given, which at first sight might be rather 
puzzling. 
1. In a certain district that was peculiarly swampy, two- 
thirds of the cows were attacked (in one dairy) with red-water 
every year ; but after the said swampy ground was properly dried 
by draining, & c., this state of things was altered, and not more 
than one in twenty or thirty cows were attacked. 
2. It is also asserted that, after certain farms have been sub- 
jected to the draining process, red-water has very soon made 
its appearance, although previous to the draining it was un- 
known. 
To me these cases appear very plain. In the first, there had 
been too much moisture, giving rise to a superabundance of aquatic 
and acrid plants. These, by being in a soil suited precisely to their 
nature, would grow very luxuriantly, present a succulent appear- 
ance, and, from the paucity of better herbage, might be eaten by the 
cattle almost of necessity ; when, as a natural consequence, the ani- 
