CORRESPONDENCE. 
409 
The profession can and must maintain its dignity and respect, 
if it would accomplish any good ; and it is not the fault of the 
rest if a few, who disregard the general interests of all, are 
treated to the seclusion they have so richly earned. 
I am, respectfully, 
A Veterinarian. 
PEEPUTIAL CALCULI. 
Prof. A. Liautard, 
Editor American Veterinary Review. 
Pear Sir:—I have this day sent you by express, an accumu¬ 
lation, removed from the sheath of a two-year old steer, which 
I hope you may lind time to analyze, publishing the result in the 
Review, if of sufficient interest. 
I subjoin a brief history of my experience with the disease.— 
Many cattle are suffering by it in Northern Illinois, and I have 
failed to find mention of it in any of my veterinary works. 
On Sept. 11 th, 1878, w T as called by Abijah Powers, of Prairie 
Stock Farm, to see some cattle affected with disease of the urin¬ 
ary organs. I was shown seventeen head of one, two and three 
year old steers, all showing more or less swelling of the sheath, 
two of them suffering from retention of urine, exhibiting loss of 
appetite, pulse and respiration hurried, lying down, and disinclin¬ 
ed to stand. 
An examination revealed the sheath clogged up by a greyish, 
flakey deposit, which I supposed to be chiefly composed of car¬ 
bonate of lime and albumen. I removed the accumulation by 
digging it out with my fingers, afterward injecting carbolic acid 
one part, to twenty of olive oil. It is needless to say that they 
speedily recovered from their indisposition. Some of them filled 
up again afterwards, and the operation had to be repeated. 
Since then I have seen perhaps a hundred affected in the 
same manner, principally occurring through the autumn months. 
In yearling steers the accumulations are not so abundant as in 
older ones, and but few suffer any inconvenience therefrom.— 
Many drop it in the early part of winter, and then seem free 
from it until the succeeding fall. 
