HEPATIC CANCER. 191 



nodular masses of various size, where there exist pain in 

 the hepatic region, jaundice, ascites, emaciation, and 

 great digestive disturbances, and where the individual is 

 of advanced age, there can scarcely be any doubt 

 entertained as to the presence of cancer in the liver. 

 On the other hand, where not one of these symptoms 

 exists, where the disease is almost latent, the existence 

 of cancer obviously may not be suspected, much less 

 substantiated. 



DISEASES WHICH MAT BE CONFOUNDED WITH CANCER. 

 There are several diseases incidental to the liver and 

 other organs of the body, which, to a casual observer, 

 maybe mistaken for cancer of that organ. Among these 

 may be set down 



Tin: WAXY LIVKU. Here there is the same increase 

 in size, but it must be borne in mind that in cancer the 

 surface is studded witli nodules, in the waxy liver it is 

 smooth, and attended with enlarged spleen, albumi- 

 nuria, caries, or necrosis. 



THK syphilitic liver; the tight-laced liver ; hydatids ; 

 abscesses in the liver ; dilatation of the bile-ducts and 

 gall-bladder ; cancer of the omentum, stomach, and right 

 kidney ; and large accumulations of faeces in the trans- 

 verse colon. 



TREAT.M 1 



ALLOPATHICALLY. I now approach the most important 

 section of this paper namely, the treatment of hepatic 

 cancer. Would that 1 could endorse the extravagant 

 pretensions, the dishonourable and dishonest asser- 

 tions made by a section of our profession ; " who, 

 ' parasite-like,' cling to the aged tree, and from 



