INCONTINENTfA URIN^. 
4G7 
Disease of any portion of the urinary apparatus, as the bladder, 
urethra, &c. is liable to induce this evil or create a weakness that 
will in time degenerate into it. The contractor muscles are excited, 
because there is oftener necessity to pass the water, especially in 
cases where it is secreted more plentifully, or where contraction of 
the bladder takes place, and there is consequently less room for it. 
An injury of the nerves proceeding to the urinary bladder will 
likewise produce this evil ; and when death is rapidly approaching, 
we frequently see incontinence of urine. 
Mental causes are productive of it, as anxiety, &c. ; and so also is 
any mechanical pressure on the bladder, caused by the intestines 
being filled with excrementitious secretions, or in any other way. 
Case of a Horse suffering from this Evil. 
A year-and-a-half old horse which, on account of his peculiar 
beauty and pureness of breed, had been destined for a stallion, all 
at once shewed this incontinence of urine without any previous 
symptoms of disease of any kind having been observed. The 
owner regarded the complaint as trivial, and likely to pass away, 
the animal being otherwise apparently in perfect health, full of 
spirit, and eating well ; he therefore turned him out to grass for the 
summer. During that period it was remarked that the complaint 
continued ; but as it was unattended by symptom of other disease, 
no notice was taken of it. 
When, in the autumn, the animal was taken up from grass, it 
was perceived that the evil was of a far more serious nature than 
had been imagined ; the urethra was very much inflamed, and 
ulcerations existed in the interior of it, which were rapidly ex- 
tending themselves forwards into the vesiculse. Various remedies 
were applied, but in vain. The evil increased ; the ulcerations 
extended themselves farther and farther, castration was pro- 
posed as the sole means of checking the disease. The operation 
was performed ; the ulcers scarred over, the wounds healed, but 
the incontinence of urine continued ; and was, in fact, worse than 
ever. Injections into the urethra were tried, but without the 
slightest success. Thus far had matters progressed when I was 
called in. 
On the 10th of October, 1843, this now three-year-old gelding 
was submitted to me for advice. I examined the animal carefully, 
and found it to be in good condition, strong in limb and wind, and 
sound in every other respect ; standing about five feet four inches, 
spirited, easy and light in its action, totally free from every symp- 
tom of fever, and with a good appetite. The prepuce was 
rather swelled, cool to the touch, moist in the inside, and totally 
