44 THE LIVKK. 



black draught." It may, however, be observed that 

 the character of the fseces are not always the same as 

 just described, as the colour will vary more or less in 

 accordance with the complete or incomplete obstruction 

 to the escape of the biliary fluid into the duodenum. 

 Amongst the partial or incomplete causes to the flow of 

 bile may be enumerated 



1. A compression of a portion of the biliary ducts, 

 as happens in cases of cirrhosis, or the so-called jjin- 

 drinker's liver, where the extreme ramifications of the 

 biliary ducts are partially obliterated by the compression 

 of the newly-developed areolar tissues ; likewise in 

 carcinoma, and tumours, which are wont to encroach 

 upon certain of the lar-e branches only. 



2. Partial constriction of the principal duct, which 

 impedes, but does not entirely arrest, the flow of 

 bile. 



3. Catarrh of the ductus communis dtoledockti*, and 

 hepatic duct, in which there is tumefaction of the 

 mucous membrane. 



4. Angular concretions which cannot conipl- 

 block up the canal. 



Occasionally we tind persons sul; -in .Jaundice 



passing stools of a normal colour, or of a pitchy hue. 

 Two reasons have been assigned for this. Either the, 

 cause of the biliary obstruction has been sud-i 

 removed, and the bile passes into the bowel, whilst the 

 colour of the skin remains unchanged, as often happens 

 in the case of Calculi, and other rapidly-disappearing 

 causes of obstruction ; or there is a sudden ce- 

 an excessive absorption of bile, known as r>n 



DURATION OF JAINI>ICK. The duration of Jaundice 



