194 BLADDER OF A HORSE CONTAINING CALCAREOUS DEPOSIT. 
horses, that, so long as they can do their work, no notice 
generally is taken of them. 
“ The question for our consideration, and in a practical point 
of view it is an important one, is, supposing that a horse, 
not being very old, is known to have a large quantity of 
calcareous matter in the bladder, is it advisable to attempt its 
removal? The answer to this doubtlessly will be in the affirma¬ 
tive. Then, it would be asked, How is this to be effected? 
“ Professor Morton, in his valuable work on f Calculous 
Concretions in the Horse, and other Animals/ at page 
49, has recorded a case which assists us in satisfactorily 
answering this question. It occurred in the practice of the 
late Mr. Draper, V.S., Melbourne, Derbyshire: ‘An aged 
horse, which for years had been known to void much gravel 
mixed with his urine, and in which Mr. Draper, being de¬ 
sirous of testing the solvent properties of hydrochloric acid, 
gave it in two-drachm doses for a long time; and perceiving, 
after only a very short period had elapsed, that it manifested 
decided action, he steadily continued its use until he had 
the gratification of witnessing the gradual return of the 
health of the animal. 5 Another case, in which it would seem 
that a calculus existed in the bladder, occurring in the prac¬ 
tice of Mr. Hutton, Y.S., Great Yeldham, is also recorded in 
the same work, at page 49. This was treated in a similar 
way, and with results equally as satisfactory. In both of 
these cases the above acid was given by the mouth. The 
same agent, in a diluted state, may be injected into the 
bladder, so as to decompose the earthy carbonates; and not 
only can this be done with safety, but, should any irritation 
exist in the mucous membrane, the acid will be found bene¬ 
ficial in allaying it. 
“ These accumulations are not so commonly met with in the 
bladder of the mare as of the horse, in consequence, perhaps, 
of the rapidity with which the urine is passed out from the 
bladder of the former through the short, but large urethral 
canal, thus carrying with it any earthy deposits that may 
exist. 
“ But supposing a case of this kind to come under our 
notice, it seems to me that the earthy matters might be 
removed mechanically by the aid of a large tube attached to 
a stomach-pump, or even a good-sized syringe, by which 
water could be pumped into the bladder. This having 
become commingled with the sabulous deposit, should be 
drawn out again, and thus, by repeating the process, a large 
portion, if not all of it, might be removed. Or, to facilitate 
the solution of the mass, the above plan of injecting dilute 
