152 PARASITIC AMGEBJE OF MAN. 



per cent, were complicated by abscess of the liver. 

 In 745 cases of amoebic dysentery which I observed, 

 in which amoebse were demonstrated in the feces, ab- 

 scesses occurred in only about 5 per cent., but in 78 

 fatal cases this condition was observed in nearly 

 33 per cent., and this well illustrates the difference 

 in statistics obtained by considering the subject 

 from these two standpoints. However, I must admit 

 that the percentage is much lower in the cases I have 

 observed than is usually reported. 



The number of abscesses present in the liver varies 

 from one to 20 or more. For many years it was 

 considered that the single abscess was characteristic 

 of the amoebic type, but this statement is not borne 

 out by autopsy experience. While the single large 

 abscess is often observed in these cases, multiple ab- 

 scesses are almost as frequently observed, and in my 

 experience over 50 per cent, of fatal cases have shown 

 multiple abscesses. Sometimes the entire liver is filled 

 with them, but in such instances there is always a 

 mixed infection and many of the abscesses are due 

 to bacteria. 



The amoebic abscess occurs most frequently in the 

 right lobe of the liver, the favorite location being at 

 the dome, close to the attachment of the diaphragm, 

 or the under surface near the hepatic flexure of the 

 colon. Even in cases where multiple abscesses are 

 present the largest and oldest abscesses are almost 



