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OBSERVATIONS ON INFLAMMATION OF THE 
KIDNEYS IN CATTLE. 
By John Relph, Veterinary Surgeon , Sebergham. 
NEPHRITIS in cattle is not of frequent occurrence. Many of its 
symptoms are common to other diseases, with some of which it 
sometimes appears complicated. This leads me to doubt that its 
diagnosis has been clearly given by writers”; nor do I myself feel 
competent to give its true symptomatology, not having notes of 
cases by me. Yet, should the following remarks appear to you 
calculated to assist the junior veterinarian in detecting the disease, 
or to excite some able veterinarian to delineate it, perhaps you 
will give them a place in your Journal, which has done so much 
for the advancement of veterinary science. 
The disease is attended with fever; impairment of the digestive 
functions; a preference to dry food (as in the horse under the same 
disease); and ultimately rumination ceases, and the appetite is 
lost. The pulse is frequent, the respirations short and quick, and 
the animal grunts or moans. The spine is arched, and very tender 
over the dorsal and lumbar regions, particularly about the former. 
The recumbent posture is preferred; for, when forced to rise, the 
pain is increased, as is shewn by the breathing being more hurried, 
and the moan being more distressingly uttered. Moving, and the 
act of expelling the faeces and urine, have the same effect. Some¬ 
times frequent shifting of the hind feet, and catching them 
up towards the belly, is observed. The urine may be high 
coloured, some say bloody, deficient in quantity, or altogether 
suppressed. Inability to rise is very probable to occur in this 
disease. 
From this statement it is evident, without a careful examination 
by auscultation, &c., reposing in an easy assurance of our pene¬ 
tration, it is possible we may pronounce the disease to be pleuritis, 
pneumonia, &c.; or, fixing our attention more on the moan and 
disordered state of the stomach and intestines, which usuallv exist 
in this complaint, we may possibly set it down as indigestion, or 
inflammation in the organs of digestion. A careful examination 
of the case will generally lead to the true seat of the disease; and, 
with a view of removing all doubt, the state of the kidneys may 
be explored with the hand per anum. 
I never found either mucous or albuminous urine in cattle; but 
some months ago I tested the urine of a horse labouring under 
acute nephritis, which exhibited both these qualities, alternately; 
