DISEASES OF THE LIVER. 73 



extension of inflammation from neighboring parts, thus involving 

 this organ. Acute hepatitis may terminate in chronic inflannnation, 

 abscesses, rupture of the liver, or may disappear, leaving behind no 

 trace of disease whatever. 



Treatment. — This should consist, at first, of the administration of 1 

 ounce of Barbados aloes or other physic. General blood-letting, if 

 had recourse to early, must prove of much benefit in acute inflamma- 

 tion of the liver. The vein in the neck (jugular) must be opened, 

 and from 4 to 6 quarts of blood may be drawn. Saline medicines, as 

 Glauber's salts or the artificial Carlsbad salt, is indicated. These 

 may be given with the feed in tablespoonful doses. The horse is to 

 be fed sparingly on soft food, bran mashes chiefly. If treatment 

 proves successful and recovery takes place, see to it that the horse 

 afterwards gets regular exercise and that his food is not of a too 

 highly nutritious character and not excessive. 



Jaundice, icterus, or the yelloavs. — This is a condition caused 

 by the retention and absorption of bile into the blood. It was for- 

 merly considered to be a disease of itself, but is now regarded as a 

 symptom of disorder of the liver. " The yellows " is observed by 

 looking at the eyes, nose, and mouth, when it will be seen that these 

 parts are yellowish instead of the pale-pink color of health. In white 

 or light-colored horses the skin even may show this yellow tint. The 

 urine is saffron colored, the dung is of a dirty-gray color, and con- 

 stipation is usuall}^ present. Jaimdice may be present as a symptom 

 of almost any inflammatory disease. We know that when an animal 

 has fever the secretions are checked, the bile may be retained and 

 absorbed throughout the system, and yellowness of the mucous mem- 

 branes follows. Jaundice may also exist during the presence of 

 simple constipation, hepatitis, biliary calculi, abscesses, hardening 

 of the liver, etc. 



Treatiment. — When jaundice exists we must endeavor to rid the 

 system of the excess of bile, and this is best accomplished by giving 

 purgatives that act upon the liver. Calomel, 2 drams, with aloes, 7 

 drams, should be given. Glauber's salts in handful doses once or 

 twice a day for a week is also effective. May apple, rhubarb, castor 

 oil, and other cathartics that act upon the first or small bowels may 

 be selected. We must be careful to see that the boAvels are kept open 

 by avoiding hard, dry, bulky foods. 



Rupture of the liver.- — This is known to occur at times in the 

 horse, most frequentl}'' in old fat horses and those that get but little 

 exercise. Horses that have suffered fi'om chronic liver disease for 

 years eventually present symptoms of colic and die quite suddenly. 

 Upon post-mortem examination we discover that the liver had rup- 

 tured. The cicatrices, or scars, that are often found upon the liver 

 indicate that th's organ may suffer small rupture and yet the horse 



