88 
DR. DAVENPORT. 
the horse, which has the good effect of keeping them quiet 
without causing constipation to any extent. 
The diet should consist of easily digested and not too nu¬ 
tritious food (as the idea is to remove the cause and the dis¬ 
ease will cease), such as green grass % when procurable, warm 
bran mashes and thin gruel; and I have had no bad results 
from allowing them to have a liberal supply of cold water to 
drink. After convalescence has set in, tonics, and I should 
especially mention nux vomica, it assisting to tone the greatly 
debilitated muscular system; exercise should be given in 
moderation and gradually, and an animal that has once been at¬ 
tacked with this disease should not be allowed to stand in the 
stall any length of time. With regard to the hyposulphite of 
sodas I should like to make a few remarks. Dr. Shepherd in 
his paper says : “ And again in azoturia, although my experi¬ 
ence is here limited, I am becoming more and more convinced 
that it is worthy of a more thorough trial. Undoubtedly the 
whole line of symptoms in this disease is caused by the action 
of poisonous products upon their nerves and their centers.” 
Thus through the condition of the blood we are sure to 
get our several results. Urea is one of the natural constitu¬ 
ents of the urine excreted from the blood by the kidneys. In 
this disease immense quantities of it are excreted, showing an 
unnatural action of the kidneys, or an inestimable quantity of 
it in the blood, which, from its nitrogenous character, is with¬ 
out doubt. The hyposulphite of soda acts directly to dimin¬ 
ish urea and increase uric acid, the sulphates, sugar and other 
non-nitrogenous constituents, a condition certainly necessary 
to the recovery of the patient. 
Prognosis. —The prognosis is favorable in the majority of 
cases, especially if the veterinarian should treat the patient 
shortly after being first taken down Finlay Dun gives the 
recoveries at about fifty to eighty per cent., and according to 
my experience the recoveries have fully reached eighty per 
cent. 
With regard to post-mortem appearances, I have never 
made one on such a case, and I can only quote Professor Wil¬ 
liams. He says: “ Post-mortem examination reveals the blood 
