260 
THOMAS WALLEY. 
SHEEP DISEASES: THEIR CAUSES, NATURE AND PREVENTION,* 
. By Thomas Wallet, M.R.C.V.S. 
(Continued from page 215.) 
The Kidneys .—These organs, though small as compared with 
the liver—and especially, I think, small in the sheep as compared 
with those of other animals—are, nevertheless, of vast importance 
in relation to health. Unlike the liver, pancreas, &c., they are 
not producmg organs , i. e ., nothing that is formed in them is ever 
sent back and used up in the system, with the exception of water, 
which, in the case of deficiency of that fluid in the body, and in 
dry weather, is supposed to be reabsorbed from the kidne} r s. 
They are essentially excretory organs, serving to get rid of ex¬ 
cess of water, of salts and of waste matter; as also of the poi¬ 
sonous products of cells (leucomaines) which, if left in the blood, 
would act as poisons. Any interference with or arrest of their 
function is followed by grave consequences, and no disease is 
more dreaded by the physician than kidney disease because he 
knows full well that it means in the long run death by the action 
of such deleterious matters as the products of oxidation which are 
allowed to accumulate in the system. Arrest of the function of 
the kidneys is to some extent compensated for by increased 
activity of the skin and the bowels; hence, if by any means the 
functions of these organs is interfered .with the disease of the 
kidneys is rendered more grave. 
To illustrate the rapidity with which certain matters are 
passed out of the system I may direct attention to the fact, that 
if one puts his feet into a solution of potash or soda those salts 
can be detected in a short time in the urine; or if turpentine be 
rubbed into the skin, even the skin of the hands, it is detected in 
the urine in a very short time by the odor of the u sweet scented 
violet ” which it imparts to that fluid. 
One important thing I would particularly direct attention to 
here, and that is, that whenever the albumen in the blood becomes 
* Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. 
