FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS OF THE LIVER. 23 



majority of cases) that the biliary secretions become 

 vitiated, either in the 'hepatic ducts or gall bladder, and 

 that the acrid properties it there acquires act as an 

 irritant, and promote its own discharge into the duo- 

 denum, and from thence along the whole course of the 

 alimentary canal, setting up at times an obstinate and 

 aggravated form of bilious or choleraic diarrhea. 



In the treatment of " a vitiated secretion of bile," much 

 will depend upon the various phenomena attending it. 



Ailopathically. It is treated by diluents, demulcents, 

 warm baths, ipecacuanha, alkalines, anodynes, and 

 aperients. 



Homceopathically. Looking as I do upon the vitiated 

 bile thrown out from the gall-bladder into the alimen- 

 tary canal as a poison, or foreign body, and which cannot 

 be antidoted by any homceopathically selected drug, I 

 treat this vicarious secretion as a poison, and so com- 

 mence my treatment by ejecting the of lending matter 

 the alimentary canal, by the administration of a 

 mild oleaginous . such as castor oil; this I 



follow up by demulcent beverages, such as barley-water, 

 iju m- water, or linseed tea ; and the ad ministration of 

 M> ri'uriii.-i ,sy?//,, ka, or Arsrnicum, if con- 



siderable prostration and gastric derangement exist. The 

 i ity of such cases which have come under my notice 

 have yielded kindly enough to this mode of treatment, 

 care beinij taken that the diet should for the first few 

 land, easy of digestion, and nourishing in its 

 properti 



