FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS OF THE LIVER. 19 



yellow, or even a bright yellow colour ; they afterwards 

 become more fluid and watery, vary in colour, and 

 mixed with thin feculent matter. If the diarrhoea con- 

 tinues, it frequently contains yellowish or greenish 

 yellow mucus, either in large thick masses, or in thin, 

 glairy, or gelatinous pieces, which fall to the bottom of 

 the pan, and admit of being drawn into long filaments ; 

 or it consists chiefly of a serous fluid, coloured by the 

 bile, and presenting either a glairy mucus or albuminous 

 flocculi. This form of bilious diarrhoea may terminate 

 in an inflammatory condition of some part of the 

 alimentary canal, or in dysentery. 



TREA.Ty.YXT.^-Allopathically. If congestion and ful- 

 ness of the liver exist, this form of hepatic derangement 

 is first treated by general bleeding, cupping, or leeches 

 applied to the region of that organ. Next to bleeding 

 comes in rotation the administration of demulcents, 

 lubricating infusions, or diluents, combined with nitre, 

 sub-carbonate of soda, antimony, and camphor ; followed 

 by blue pill, grey powder, castor oil, and other purga- 

 tives ; and if the diarrhoea becomes obstinate, by opium 

 and various astringents (Copland). 



Homceopathically. Increased secretion of bile, with its 

 attendant symptoms, is successfully treated by such 

 well-proved remedies as Aconite, Aloes, Arg. Nitratis, 

 Clielid. AI'ij., C/ifim., Merc. Sol., Ipec., Nux Fora., and 

 Rheum. In the selection of these medicines, due regard 

 should be paid to their pathogeneses ; and a correct 

 estimate formed of their similitude to the group of 

 symptoms presented to our view. 



Aconite undoubtedly stands foremost as a curative 

 agent in bilious diarrhoea, when connected with conges- 



